By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
Muyi Aina, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), says the commissioning of the Lagos Vaccine Hub marks a major step in strengthening Nigeria’s immunization supply chain and expanding access to potent and life-saving vaccines across the country.
Speaking during the commissioning of the Lagos Vaccine Hub (Cold and Dry Store) in Oshodi, Lagos State on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Dr. Aina said the facility reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to closing healthcare infrastructure gaps and ensuring quality vaccines reach every Nigerian community.
He noted that the new hub is part of a modern three-hub national vaccine distribution system designed to improve efficiency, storage capacity, and nationwide vaccine delivery.
Dr. Aina explained that the Lagos Hub is the first of three mega vaccine storage facilities planned for the country, with additional hubs in Abuja and Kano expected to come on stream soon.
According to him, the Abuja hub will serve the North-Central and South-East geopolitical zones, while the Kano hub will cater to the North-West and North-East zones, as the Lagos facility serves the South-West, South-South regions.
He said the new system replaces the old structure of one national cold store and six zonal stores, which suffered from inadequate capacity and obsolete equipment.
He added that the hubs are designed to support Nigeria’s growing immunization needs, including routine vaccination, outbreak response, and future expansion of vaccine programmes.
Dr. Aina disclosed that the Lagos facility, strategically located close to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and Apapa Port, provides 1,152 cubic metres of cold and freezer storage as well as over 15,312 cubic metres of dry storage capacity for syringes and immunization commodities.
He said the hub is expected to serve more than 90 million Nigerians across the South-West and South-South zones up to the year 2035 and also includes training halls for building the capacity of vaccine logistics professionals nationwide.
Dr. Aina commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for prioritising investments in healthcare, while also appreciating the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, development partners including the World Bank, Gavi, UNICEF and WHO, as well as the Lagos State Government for their support towards the successful delivery of the project.
