By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced a new initiative aimed at reaching an estimated 2.2 million unvaccinated children across Nigeria, in a major push to close the country’s immunization gap.
The project, supported by the Republic of Korea, was officially launched on Thursday at a ceremony in the Badagry Local Government Area of Lagos State. The event drew top government officials, development partners, traditional leaders, and community members committed to improving child health outcomes.
Speaking at the launch, UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative Wafaa Saeed described the initiative as more than just a program unveiling. “It represents a shared political and moral commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian child has access to life-saving vaccines,” she said.
Saeed noted that Nigeria currently has one of the highest numbers of “zero-dose” children globally—those who have never received a single routine vaccine. Many of these children live in underserved communities, including remote, border, and conflict-affected areas.
According to Saeed, the challenge is not a failure of science—vaccines are proven to work—but rather persistent issues of access, equity, and service delivery gaps. “Addressing this requires strong leadership and sustained partnerships,” she added.
She commended the federal government, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, and state health authorities for prioritizing zero-dose children through targeted interventions in high-burden communities.
The Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Lagos, Lee Sang Ho, highlighted his country’s commitment through the UNICEF–Korea global partnership under the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A). He revealed that of a $20 million budget for the third phase of the global project, $5.6 million has been allocated to Nigeria for implementation between December 2025 and December 2026.
The funding will focus on 40 local government areas across Lagos, Ogun, Niger, Bauchi, Adamawa, and the Federal Capital Territory.
Lagos State Commissioner for Health Akin Abayomi, represented by Temitope Alor, said the initiative comes at a critical time, as rapid urbanization has increasingly strained healthcare access. He noted that zero-dose and under-immunized children remain a health challenge, especially in densely populated and underserved communities where routine immunization services are limited.
“This program will deploy data-driven strategies, strengthen frontline health workers, and expand equitable access to immunization—reflecting our commitment to inclusive growth where no child is left behind,” Abayomi said.
Stakeholders at the event stressed that the success of the initiative depends on sustained collaboration, community trust, and the ability to build resilient health systems that continue to reach every child long after the current investment cycle ends.
