By Eunice Nnachi, Yenagoa
A new partnership between the Government of Nigeria, the Republic of Korea, and the UNICEF has been launched to tackle the country’s high number of unvaccinated children, with a focus on reaching those who have never received routine immunization.
The initiative was officially flagged off in Badagry, a border community in Lagos State, symbolizing the programme’s commitment to reaching underserved and hard-to-access populations. It aims to identify and vaccinate so-called “zero-dose” children while strengthening routine immunization services across six priority locations, including Lagos, Ogun State, the Federal Capital Territory, Bauchi State, Niger State, and Adamawa State.
Nigeria currently has an estimated 2.2 million unvaccinated children — the highest figure in Africa and among the largest globally. Many of these children reside in urban slums, remote settlements, and border communities with limited access to healthcare services.
The programme will be implemented through existing national and state health systems, supporting government-led efforts to improve vaccine delivery, track missed vaccinations, and rebuild community trust. Strategies include intensified community mobilization, systematic identification of children who have missed immunization, and integrated health service delivery.
Speaking at the launch, UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative, Wafaa Saeed, described the initiative as a reaffirmation of the value of every child’s life. She emphasized that strong collaboration between governments, development partners, and communities is key to achieving meaningful impact.
Also speaking, Consul General of the Republic of Korea, Lee Sang Ho, highlighted the growing risks to global health security, especially in post-pandemic contexts. He noted that Korea’s investment represents a strategic and symbolic effort to reduce the burden of unvaccinated children and strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The partnership operates under the global Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) framework and is currently in its third phase, running from December 2025 to December 2026. It builds on earlier investments made since 2023 and is expected to enhance healthcare infrastructure in both rural and urban-poor communities.
Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, said the initiative aligns with the state’s THEMES+ development agenda, particularly in promoting health equity and social inclusion. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that every child, regardless of background, has access to quality immunization and primary healthcare.
The programme also aligns with Nigeria’s National Immunization Strategy Agenda 2030, reinforcing efforts to ensure that no child is left behind in accessing life-saving vaccines.
