Nigeria records 46% drop in variant polio cases —Agency

Nigeria has reported a 46 percent decline in variant poliovirus cases compared to last year, according to the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA).

The announcement came on Tuesday in Abuja during the Second Quarter 2025 review meeting of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on Primary Health Care Delivery (NTLC).

Polio, a highly contagious viral disease that mainly affects children under five, can cause paralysis, respiratory failure, and even death. Though the virus spreads through contaminated food, water, or direct contact, health experts say it is completely preventable through vaccination.

Muyi Aina, executive director of NPHCDA, said Nigeria’s cases had fallen from 78 percent last year to 46 percent in 2025. He highlighted progress in high-burden states such as Kano and Katsina, where infections dropped by 85 and 84 percent respectively.

According to him, between April and June 2025, vaccination campaigns reached 71 percent of targeted settlements, climbing to 78 percent in June. Coverage also improved slightly from 81 to 84 percent.

Despite these gains, Aina admitted that challenges such as fake finger-marking — where children are falsely marked as vaccinated — and insecurity in northern states continue to undermine the integrity of campaigns.

He stressed that involving traditional leaders in selecting vaccinators was essential for trust and compliance.

Sam Okiror, senior programme officer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), warned that low routine immunisation coverage and insecurity in states like Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Niger, and Borno remain major obstacles.

“Low routine immunisation rates, especially in northern states, continue to contribute to the transmission of variant polio virus and other vaccine-preventable diseases,” he said.

Wafaa Saeed-Abdelatef, UNICEF Nigeria country representative, expressed optimism that Nigeria was nearing “the final stretch” of polio eradication. She noted that more than 1,160 primary health facilities have been upgraded nationwide, with another 2,800 in the process of being equipped.

Saeed-Abdelatef added that over 54,000 previously unvaccinated children were reached in 2024, while 774 health fellows were deployed to strengthen service delivery at the local level.