By Fatima Saka
A coalition of civil society organisations and health sector stakeholders on Friday issued an urgent call to the Federal Government to immediately release outstanding vaccine funds, warning that Nigeria faces an imminent national stockout that could leave more than 8 million children unprotected against deadly diseases by early December.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Mrs. Chika Offor, CEO of Vaccine Network for Disease Control (VNDC), said Nigeria stands “at a dangerous crossroads,” as pending funds for immunisation threaten to cripple the country’s vaccine supply chain.
Offor disclosed that although ₦231 billion was approved for immunisation in the 2025 fiscal year, not a single naira has been released as of November. She added that an additional ₦87 billion from the 2024 fiscal year also remains stuck, despite repeated appeals.
“The truth is stark and painful. A vaccine stockout is imminent if we do not release pending funds now,” she said. “Every day without vaccines is a day too dangerous for our children and our future.”
Stakeholders also warned that Nigeria risks defaulting on its Gavi co-financing obligations, a move that could lead to the suspension of all current and future Gavi support—including $110 million already approved—and possibly cost the country its eligibility for support after 2028. “We are not just talking numbers; we are talking lives,” Offor stressed.
Adding his voice, Dr. Mustapha Lecky, Chairperson of the Health Sector Reform Coalition (HSRC), read a letter addressed to the Minister of Finance, expressing deep concern that health budget releases for 2025 have yet to be made—just one month before the year ends.
“In all my years in public health, it has never been this bad,” Dr. Lecky said, urging the Minister to honour the commitment he made during the Joint Annual Review on November 12, where he publicly promised to release ₦150 billion for immunisation.
Stakeholders also appealed directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insisting that only presidential intervention can unlock the delayed funds. Senator Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe emphasised that “life cannot wait,” urging the President to prioritise vaccine financing above other expenditures, given the threat of irreversible child disabilities and deaths.
Dr. Chizoba Wonodi, founder of WAVA, made a passionate plea to the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, describing her as a proven champion of child health. She urged the First Lady to intervene “so the funds can be released immediately.”
While acknowledging that state governments now receive significantly higher monthly allocations, stakeholders insisted the immediate crisis rests squarely with the Federal Government, which is responsible for procuring vaccines. They noted, however, that states must ensure vaccination delivery, logistics, and health worker support once vaccines arrive.
According to Hon. Usman Muhammad, Special Adviser to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, some clinics are already reporting stockouts. “It is tragic when a mother walks 12 miles to vaccinate her child only to be told there are no vaccines,” he said.
Other speakers highlighted that Nigeria has held three separate press conferences in eight months on the same issue, reflecting what they described as “a troubling pattern of neglect” for child health financing.
The coalition summarised its position in a single message: release vaccine funds now. They urged the immediate release of the ₦231 billion approved for 2025 and the ₦87 billion outstanding from 2024, along with full cash-backing for all immunisation commitments.
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“This is not about building roads or infrastructure,” Senator Oloriegbe said. “This is about human lives. Failure to release these funds will cost Nigerian children their lives and Nigeria its credibility.”
As Gavi prepares for its annual board meeting in December, stakeholders warned that any further delay could trigger catastrophic losses in both lives and global support.
“Life is precious. Diseases do not wait,” Offor said. “Our children cannot wait. The clock is ticking.”
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