By Chioma Obinna
The Nigeria Ministry of Health has received over 1,000,000 pentavalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (Men5CV) doses from the Gavi-funded global stockpile to combat the meningococcus C and W outbreak in northern Nigeria.
The outbreak, according to the reports, has already claimed over 70 lives, with more than 800 cases across 23 states.
In a joint press statement announcing the delivery, the federal government and its partners explained that the seasonal outbreaks are common during the dry season, which runs from December to June, peaking between March and April when low humidity and high dust levels prevail.
According to them, the first shipment will enable the launch of an outbreak response campaign targeting individuals aged 1–29 years, the most severely affected group.
The campaign will initially launch in Kebbi and Sokoto States, with plans to expand to Yobe State as additional doses arrive in the country.
According to the Coordinating Minister of Health & Social Welfare, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Muhammad Ali Pate, the arrival of the Men5CV vaccines is a crucial milestone in Nigeria’s response to the current meningitis outbreak.
He said: “It reflects our commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to protect the health and well-being of all Nigerians – especially our children and most vulnerable young people.
“Through the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Sector-Wide Approach, we have prioritized epidemic preparedness and rapid response as part of our broader health security agenda. We are grateful for the support of Gavi, the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF in enabling this swift deployment. Together, we are not only containing today’s outbreak but also laying the foundation to eliminate meningitis and strengthen routine immunisation for the future.”
He explained that Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance funds the global stockpiles of vaccines against cholera, Ebola, meningitis, and yellow fever, which are accessible to all countries in the world, and supports the cost of procurement, delivery, and outbreak response campaigns in lower-income countries, as well as preventive and routine immunisation activities where these are relevant.
The use of the stockpiles for outbreak response is managed by the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision, and doses are delivered to countries by UNICEF.
Meanwhile, the ICG has approved the deployment of over 1.5 million doses of Men5CV in response to Nigeria’s request in March 2025.
Speaking, Gavi’s Head of High-Impact Outbreaks, Francisco Luquero, said: “With Gavi’s support, vaccines successfully eliminated meningitis A from Africa’s meningitis belt. Now, they are also combating other serogroups of this deadly and debilitating disease, bringing us closer to our goal of eliminating meningitis by 2030.
“Continued investment in this work is critical to protect the incredible progress made so far, control future outbreaks, and dramatically reduce the devastating impact that seasonal epidemics of meningitis have on families and communities.”
Meningococcal meningitis is an infection of the meninges, the thin lining that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, and is most prevalent in Africa’s ‘meningitis belt’, which stretches across 26 countries in Africa – from Senegal in the West to Ethiopia in the East – with an at-risk population of about 500 million.
Those at the highest risk of infection are infants, children, and young adults. One in four survivors suffers permanent disabilities such as hearing loss; seizures; limb weakness; difficulties with vision, speech, language, memory, and communication; as well as scarring and limb amputations.
Also speaking, UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative, Cristian Munduate, said: “Every child deserves protection from life-threatening diseases like meningitis, and the arrival of the meningitis vaccine marks a critical step in stopping the current outbreak and safeguarding Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations – particularly children and young adults, who are at the highest risk.”
She said UNICEF is proud to support the government by ensuring rapid vaccine deployment, community engagement, and planning and implementation of the response while working alongside Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, and the Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare to strengthen immunisation efforts in Nigeria.
On his part, WHO Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, said: “As Nigeria continues to combat the current meningitis outbreak, the arrival of the MenCV5 vaccine provides a much-needed boost to our response efforts.”
He explained that from research and development to delivery, the journey of the MenCV5 vaccine to Nigeria has been a collaborative effort between the Nigerian government, the WHO, Gavi, and other dedicated partners.
“While we address the ongoing outbreak, the MenCV5 vaccine is also critical to Nigeria’s long-term health security. It will help prevent future outbreaks and safeguard future generations; we are committed to supporting Nigeria at every step,” WHO stated.
Over the years, Gavi has worked with countries to support vaccination against meningitis A, reaching more than 400 million children and young adults aged up to 29 years through campaigns and routine immunisation. These efforts have helped Africa to successfully eliminate meningitis A, with no new cases detected since 2017.
The Men5CV vaccine, approved by WHO in 2023, represents a significant advancement for high-risk countries in Africa’s meningitis belt, offering protection against the five major serogroups of meningococcus bacteria.
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