Fresh Concerns as 2.1m Nigerian Children Miss Immunisation : Save the Children Raises Alarm

By Chisom Adaeze

As the world observes World Immunisation Week 2026 under the theme “For every generation, vaccines work,” renewed concerns have emerged over Nigeria’s growing population of unimmunised and partially immunised children, with experts warning of long-term public health risks if urgent action is not taken.

Leading child rights organisation, Save the Children Nigeria, has raised the alarm, calling for immediate, coordinated efforts by government authorities, development partners, and local communities to close the widening immunisation gap, particularly in underserved urban and peri-urban communities across Lagos and Kano States.

According to available data, Nigeria continues to rank among countries with the highest number of children who have not received routine vaccinations. An estimated 2.1 million children have never received a single dose of vaccine, while an additional 2.3 million are only partially immunised, reflecting deep structural weaknesses in the country’s primary healthcare and vaccination systems.

This troubling figure places Nigeria as the second-highest globally in the number of zero-dose children, a situation health experts describe as both preventable and urgent.

Save the Children Nigeria noted that the crisis is driven by a combination of challenges, including weak healthcare delivery systems, poor follow-up mechanisms, misinformation, cultural barriers, and limited community engagement.

In many communities, especially in hard-to-reach and densely populated urban settlements, caregivers face difficulties accessing routine immunisation services due to distance, lack of awareness, or inconsistent availability of healthcare workers. In addition, misinformation and harmful social norms continue to discourage some families from vaccinating their children.

Experts warn that these gaps not only increase the risk of preventable diseases such as measles, polio, and diphtheria but also undermine broader efforts to improve child survival rates in Nigeria.

In its statement, Save the Children Nigeria urged the Federal Government, state authorities, and health partners to prioritise strengthening routine immunisation systems, with a particular focus on reaching zero-dose and under-immunised children.

The organisation called for improved outreach strategies in underserved communities, stronger health system integration, and increased accountability mechanisms to ensure no child is left behind.

It also emphasised the importance of investing in quality data systems, including defaulter tracking and multiple contact points within the healthcare system to ensure children who miss vaccination schedules are quickly identified and reached.

Furthermore, Save the Children stressed the need to deploy and support skilled health workers who can deliver respectful and high-quality immunisation services while building trust within communities.

The organisation also highlighted the role of community engagement in addressing vaccine hesitancy, urging authorities to work closely with trusted local leaders to counter misinformation and reshape harmful beliefs around immunisation.

It further called for increased domestic and partner financing to strengthen primary healthcare systems, warning that sustainable immunisation coverage cannot be achieved without long-term investment.

Experts Warn of Broader Health Risks

Public health experts have consistently stressed that immunisation remains one of the most cost-effective health interventions globally, saving millions of lives each year. However, Nigeria’s persistent immunisation gap continues to expose millions of children to preventable diseases.

They warn that unless urgent steps are taken, outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases could become more frequent, placing additional strain on an already stretched healthcare system.

In response to the crisis, Save the Children Nigeria, through its Better Opportunities for Optimal Services and Targeted Immunisation (BOOST) Project, is currently collaborating with government agencies and community stakeholders in Lagos and Kano States.

The initiative aims to improve equitable access to vaccination services, strengthen demand among caregivers, and create supportive policy and social environments that prioritise zero-dose and under-immunised children.

A Call to Protect the Next Generation

Despite decades of progress in global vaccination efforts, millions of Nigerian children remain unprotected from diseases that are largely preventable.

Health advocates warn that closing the immunisation gap will require more than rhetoric—it demands sustained political will, improved healthcare delivery, and active community participation.

As World Immunisation Week 2026 is marked globally, the message remains clear: every child deserves protection, and every missed vaccination represents a missed opportunity to save a life.