Why Nigeria Cannot Produce Vaccines — Minister

• Minister of State for Health, Iziaq Salako, says Nigeria still lacks the economic and technical capacity required for local vaccine production.

Nigeria is still unable to produce vaccines locally due to economic, technological and global compliance constraints, according to the Minister of State for Health, Iziaq Salako.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Salako explained that Nigeria cannot begin vaccine manufacturing yet despite ongoing efforts under the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Health Value Chain.

When asked directly if the country could produce vaccines now, he replied, “Unfortunately, not,” stressing that vaccine production requires thorough scientific and economic analysis.

He noted that Nigeria must consider comparative advantage before investing in manufacturing facilities, warning that local production must be cost-effective to be sustainable.

“It is not enough to just say you want to produce vaccines. If producing locally costs more than importing, then it defeats the purpose,” he said.

Salako added that although Nigeria’s population of over 240 million people provides a strong market base, locally made vaccines must meet global vaccine standards to be viable.

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“When you produce a vaccine that is not globally accepted, that’s a challenge. It’s high-end technology, and we can’t rush into it,” he said.

He, however, assured Nigerians that the country’s health security architecture remains strong, with 24/7 surveillance and improved readiness for outbreaks.

According to him, Nigeria’s pandemic preparedness index has risen from 39% to 55%, but he cautioned citizens against self-diagnosis, noting that “Not every flu-like illness should be termed COVID-19.”

Salako also disclosed that about 78% of federal hospitals across the country have now been digitised, eliminating the need for physical hospital cards and streamlining medical records.

Commenting on the migration of health workers, the minister attributed the trend to a global shortage of medical professionals, saying the phenomenon is not unique to Nigeria.

He added that while some countries achieve up to 97% DTP3 vaccine coverage, Nigeria continues to work with WHO and UNICEF to improve vaccination coverage. He noted that the government recently launched a nationwide campaign against measles-rubella, polio, HPV and other diseases.