Nigeria: Gavi promises more than 500 million dollars for vaccination before reducing its aid.

This funding is intended to contribute to the financing of vaccination programs in the country, which faces significant health needs and still has uneven vaccination coverage. When broken down to a yearly amount, the pledged sum represents just over $100 million.

However, this amount is still lower than the $261 million disbursed by Gavi in Nigeria for the year 2025 alone. The announcement comes as the Vaccine Alliance prepares for a gradual reduction of its financial support to the country.

“We are going to vaccinate an entire generation,” Sania Nishtar stated in Abuja, according to details shared following her visit. Nigerian authorities particularly wish to strengthen routine vaccination and campaigns targeting children who have not received any doses.

Support Expected to Evolve

Gavi, which helps countries finance the purchase and distribution of vaccines, has played a central role in expanding vaccination coverage in Nigeria. Its support has notably assisted campaigns against several preventable diseases and strengthened supply chains.

The announced five-year commitment comes amid a more challenging financial context for the Alliance. Gavi has lost its main donor, the United States, after the end of their support, which weighs on its funding prospects.

Nigeria is among the most populous countries in Africa and must respond to a high demand for healthcare, while its health infrastructures remain fragile. Access difficulties, population displacements, and logistical shortcomings regularly complicate the delivery of vaccines in several regions.

The government of Bola Tinubu intends to increase the mobilization of national resources to maintain vaccination programs when external aid decreases. Gavi’s announcement should therefore help ensure a gradual transition, while continuing campaigns aimed at the most vulnerable populations.