UNICEF: Nigeria Has 2.1M Zero-Dose Children, Second Highest Globally

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that Nigeria has over 2.1 million zero-dose children (those who have never received a single routine vaccine) making it the country with the second-highest number globally, behind India, according to a 2023 report citing 2.1 million unvaccinated children in Nigeria. A 2022 UNICEF and World Health Organization (WHO) estimate pegged the figure at 2.3 million, with a slight decrease noted in subsequent data. The report, released in April 2023, highlighted that 67 million children worldwide missed vaccinations between 2019 and 2021 due to COVID-19 disruptions, conflicts, and misinformation, with Nigeria accounting for a significant portion alongside Ethiopia. UNICEF’s Chief of Health in Nigeria, Eduardo Celades, emphasized the vulnerability of these children to preventable diseases like measles and polio, noting that 100 local government areas, including eight in Katsina State, are classified as zero-dose zones. The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), with UNICEF, WHO, and Gavi, has intensified efforts through the Big Catch-Up campaign and Zero-Dose Reduction Operational Planning (ZDROP) to vaccinate these children, targeting 80% coverage by 2028, according to WHO.