UNICEF Raises Alarm As Niger Records Five Poliovirus Detections

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called for stronger immunisation and surveillance in Niger State following five poliovirus detections involving human and environmental samples.

The findings comprise three human samples and two environmental samples, with Bida and Chanchaga Local Government Areas identified as locations where the virus was detected.

UNICEF disclosed this on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, during a community mobilisation dialogue organised with the Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency.

The agency urged parents to vaccinate their children and called on community leaders to intensify public awareness and promote vaccine acceptance.

UNICEF representative, Mrs Grace Odeyemi, explained that suspected cases of acute flaccid paralysis undergo laboratory testing to determine whether poliovirus or another condition caused the paralysis. She added that environmental surveillance helps detect the virus even without an identified human infection.

The Niger State Immunisation Officer, Abubakar Usman, said reactive vaccination had been conducted in affected communities alongside routine immunisation.

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He attributed the virus’s continued circulation partly to poor routine vaccination and resistance to immunisation in some communities.

The latest detections follow three polio cases reported in Magama and Mariga Local Government Areas in June 2026, prompting intensified surveillance and community engagement.

Earlier, in March 2026, UNICEF warned that Niger State faced the risk of poliovirus transmission from five neighbouring states experiencing outbreaks.

Nigeria was certified free of wild poliovirus in August 2020. However, circulating variant poliovirus remains a public health threat, particularly in communities with inadequate vaccination coverage.

The World Health Organisation has continued to advocate sustained immunisation and effective surveillance to identify infections early and prevent further transmission.