Nigeria Has The Highest Number Of Unvaccinated Children Globally — UNICEF
The United Nations Children’s Fund has said Nigeria bears the highest global burden of unvaccinated children, with over two million children yet to receive a single dose of any routine vaccine.
UNICEF Health Officer, Bashir Elegbede, made this known on Tuesday at a one-day media dialogue to commemorate the 2025 World Immunisation Day in Damaturu, Yobe State.
Elegbede said that of Nigeria’s estimated 8.7 million children under the age of one, 2.1 million—or 24 per cent—are considered “zero-dose” children, meaning they have not received any vaccines as recommended in the national immunisation schedule.
Meanwhile, the global goal is to reduce the number of ZD children by 25 per cent by 2025, and by 50 per cent by 2030.
Elegbede said, “The under-one population in Nigeria is estimated at 8.7 million, with 2.1 million of them (24 per cent) classified as ZD children. This highlights that Nigeria bears the highest global burden of ZD children. Reducing the number of zero-dose children—those who have not received any routine vaccination- is crucial for improving public health outcomes in Nigeria.
“These children are mostly found in locations affected by conflict, climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, geographic hard-to-reach, pastoral, urban outskirt and slums, including areas with existing health systems challenges (supply, finance, monitoring, data quality, capacity, building, human resources, session interruptions, etc.).”
He noted that children not immunised have been seen to have a relatively high risk of being infected and succumbing to vaccine-preventable diseases like polio, measles, meningitis, yellow fever, and viral hepatitis, among others.
He, however, said that vaccines are lifesavers, as they provide the necessary foundation for children to thrive.
“Across the world, millions of lives have been saved by vaccines. Globally, sadly, Nigeria has the highest burden of ZD children. A number estimated to be 2.1 million as of 2023.
