Nigeria secures additional 41 million COVID-19 vaccine doses

Nigeria secured an additional 41 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, said on Thursday, January 28, 2021.

However, the date of the vaccine’s delivery into the country remains unknown as vaccine manufacturers struggle to meet global demand in time.

“We do not have an exact date,” Dr Ehanire said. “The date it comes out depends on when the manufacturers are able to deliver, and that is not something that any country can enforce at this time.”

The 41 million doses were secured as part of efforts by an African Union task team to help countries on the continent gain equitable access to vaccines.

“The timelines are not in the hands of the recipient,” he stressed, noting that blocs like the European Union who had preordered vaccines since last year were yet to get enough supply.

The 41 million vaccine doses are expected to come from three major sources: Pfizer, AstraZeneca (through the Serum Institute of India), and Johnson & Johnson.

Because most African countries fall under the class of middle and low-income countries, the purchase of the vaccines will be financed by the African Export–Import Bank, also known as Afreximbank.

However, countries are expected to make a down-payment of about 15 per cent and repay the cost over a five to seven-year period.

“Nigeria is mobilising resources,” Minister Ehanire said. “We have some funds ready. We will make a substantial deposit when it is time.”

Meanwhile, the Covax vaccines expected in February are expected to be free, for the first 20 percent of the population. But the country will pay for the “logistics of delivery and administration.”