- Tinubu Commissions Lagos Vaccine Storage Hub to Serve 90 Million Nigerians
- Targets Stronger Healthcare Delivery
- Says New Vaccine Hub Will Ensure Safe Vaccines Reach Every Nigerian Child
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commissioned the Lagos Vaccine Cold and Dry Storage Hub, a major health infrastructure project expected to serve more than 90 million Nigerians across the South-West and South-South geopolitical zones by 2035.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the facility, located within the Federal Central Medical Stores in Oshodi, Lagos, was funded through the World Bank International Development Association (IDA) Credit under the IMPACT Project.
EDITOR’S PICK
- Be Your Brother’s Keeper to End Insecurity – Oba Akiolu
- Tinubu Accepts APC 2027 Presidential Ticket
- Why Godfatherism Still Thrives in Africa Despite Being a Political Curse
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony on Thursday, Tinubu said the project was designed to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system by addressing critical infrastructure gaps and improving access to vaccines and quality health services across communities.
The President, who was represented by the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Muyi Aina, explained that Nigeria’s previous vaccine supply structure, which relied on one National Strategic Cold Store and six zonal stores, could no longer adequately cater for the country’s growing population and increasing immunisation demands.
According to him, the Federal Government, through the NPHCDA, developed a Three-Hub National Immunisation Supply Chain Model comprising modern mega vaccine storage facilities in Lagos, Abuja, and Kano to decentralise vaccine storage and improve nationwide distribution.
Tinubu said the Lagos hub, which will cater for the South-West and South-South regions, is the first of the three hubs to be completed and commissioned.
He disclosed that the Abuja hub, which will serve the North-Central and South-East regions, is currently under construction, while the Kano hub for the North-West and North-East zones is expected to commence later this year.
“When completed, these three hubs will provide Nigeria with a modern national vaccine distribution network built for the future and ensure that every Nigerian child, regardless of location, has access to safe and potent vaccines,” he said.
The President noted that the project reflects successful collaboration between the Federal Government and international development partners, including the World Bank, Gavi, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization, WHO.
He added that while the Federal Government provided leadership and policy direction through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, development partners contributed financing, technical support, and global expertise.
Vaccine Cold Chain Logistics Consultant at UNICEF, Emediong Ekere, described the facility as a significant boost to Nigeria’s immunisation system and vaccine distribution network.
Ekere said the pharmaceutical-grade cold chain warehouse would improve vaccine storage capacity, strengthen the distribution of immunisation commodities, and enhance service delivery across health centres and local government cold stores nationwide.
Also speaking, the National Programme Manager of the IMPACT Project, Dr Amina Abdul-One Muhammed, said the Lagos hub would function as the primary vaccine storage and distribution centre for Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states.
She revealed that the catchment population for the facility is projected to reach about 90.7 million people by 2035.
According to her, every childhood vaccination programme, emergency immunisation response, and supplemental vaccination campaign within the region would depend largely on the operations and supplies from the Lagos hub.
