High Zero Dose Children, Misinformation , and Reasons for Fresh Concerns as 2.1m Nigerian Children Miss Immunisation

INTRO: The reasons for fresh concerns as 2.1m Nigerian children miss immunisation have become notable during World Immunisation Week 2026, with Save the Children Nigeria warning that urgent, coordinated action is needed to close the gap. Nigeria ranks among countries with the highest burden of children missed by routine immunisation, and currently has the second-highest number of zero-dose children globally. Here are five key reasons for fresh concerns as 2.1m Nigerian children miss immunisation.

1. Massive Number of Zero-Dose and Under-Immunised Children: The scale of the problem is the first of the reasons for fresh concerns as 2.1m Nigerian children miss immunisation. Yes, an estimated 2.1 million children have never received a single vaccine, while another 2.3 million are only partially immunised. Combined, 4.4 million children lack full protection, reflecting systemic gaps in routine immunisation services. This leaves them vulnerable to preventable diseases and threatens national health security.

2. Systemic Gaps in Routine Immunisation Services: Experts stress that limited access to services, weak follow-up, and poor data systems are major reasons for these fresh concerns as 2.1m Nigerian children miss immunisation. Save the Children urged government to invest in quality data use, defaulter tracking, and multiple contact points for vaccination within the health system. Without reliable outreach, children in underserved urban and peri-urban communities in Lagos and Kano States continue to fall through the cracks.

3. Misinformation and Harmful Social Norms: Misinformation, harmful social norms, and gender barriers further explain the reasons for fresh concerns as 2.1m Nigerian children miss immunisation. Save the Children called for addressing these through trusted community leaders and inclusive engagement. In many areas, caregivers lack accurate information or face cultural resistance, reducing demand for vaccines even when services are available.

4. Gaps in Community Engagement and Health Workforce: Weak community engagement and shortages of skilled health workers are also among the reasons for the new concerns. The organisation asked stakeholders to support health workers to provide respectful, high-quality immunisation services and to strengthen outreach in hard-to-reach communities. In Lagos and Kano, the BOOST Project is working with government and partners to improve equitable access and create an enabling environment for zero-dose children.

5. Inadequate and Unsustainable Financing: Underfunding of immunisation and primary health care is one of the most critical reasons for the 2.1m Nigerian children that missed immunisation, and hence, the concerns recently during the Immunization Week. Save the Children called for increased domestic and partner financing to ensure sustainable coverage for all. Experts note that immunisation remains one of the most cost-effective public health interventions, saving millions of lives yearly, yet gaps persist due to limited resources.

Conclusion

Under the theme “For every generation, vaccines work,” Save the Children urges government, partners, and communities to act. Data show that closing the gap requires strong health systems, trusted community engagement, and sustained investment. Reaching zero-dose and under-immunised children is not only vital for protecting kids but critical to achieving equitable health outcomes nationwide.

INTRO: The reasons stakeholders urged FG to tackle insecurity were central to discussions at the 9th Vanguard Economic Discourse in Lagos on Wednesday, where agricultural leaders warned that rising insecurity, weak purchasing power, and broken value chains are crippling food security, and urged the Federal Government (FG) to take actions in addressing the heightened insecurity in Nigeria. Here are five key reasons stakeholders urged FG to tackle insecurity and reform the sector.

1. Insecurity Has Slashed Farm Production Nationwide: The most direct of the reasons stakeholders urged FG to tackle insecurity is its impact on output. AFAN President Muhammed Magaji Gattado said, “Insecurity has prevented our farmers from going to farms. The rate of production has reduced.” With farmers abandoning fields due to attacks and herder-farmer clashes, food supply is shrinking. Gattado urged the Federal Government to adopt proactive measures, including a conflict prevention committee, citing Gombe State’s success in reducing farmer-herder conflict.

2. Food Availability and Affordability Crisis: Kebram Farms founder Kabir Ibrahim stressed another of the reasons stakeholders urged FG to tackle insecurity: it drives up costs and erodes purchasing power. “There is food in Nigeria but most people cannot afford it… purchasing power is very low,” he said. Insecurity disrupts logistics, increases transport risk, and raises prices, making food inaccessible even when it exists. Tackling insecurity would help stabilize supply chains and prices.

3. Youth Participation in Agriculture Is Declining: Representing Agriculture Minister Abubakar Kyari, Maruf Ajenifuja highlighted that youth inclusion “has not been encouraging” in the last ten years. Insecurity is a major deterrent, and it’s among the reasons stakeholders urged FG to tackle insecurity now. Young people avoid rural farming areas perceived as unsafe. Ajenifuja said government wants to “tap into them and make them the backbone of the sector,” but that requires secure farms, roads, and markets.

4. Weak Value Chains and Poor Investment Climate: The panel agreed that agriculture must shift from subsistence to agribusiness. Xtralarge Farms GMD Moji Davids warned of a global food challenge by 2028 and said, “We need to shift attention from farming as passion to farming as a business.” Insecurity scares off private investment and disrupts processing, access to market, and distribution. That’s why one of the reasons stakeholders urged FG to tackle insecurity is to unlock public-private partnerships and value addition. IFAD Country Director Dede Ekoue added that youths can drive processing and marketing, but only in a stable environment.

5. States and Private Sector Can’t Fill the Gap Alone: Stakeholders stressed that funding through the national budget “cannot cater for the needs of all Nigerians,” and called for private sector support. However, Ibrahim noted “Agriculture is a rural vocation” and urged states to dedicate IGR to the sector. Still, without security, private capital stays away. This structural gap is the fifth of the reasons stakeholders urged FG to tackle insecurity: coordinated federal action is needed to protect farmers, de-risk investment, and enable value chain development.

Conclusion

The reasons stakeholders urged FG to tackle insecurity converge on one point: food security requires physical security. From conflict prevention committees to youth programs in the Niger Delta, the panelists at the Vanguard Economic Discourse called for urgent reforms. Without safe farms, stable pricing, and secure rural communities, Nigeria’s N2.5trn agric export deficit and looming food challenges will only deepen.

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