Gladness Gideon
Nigeria is grappling with a new phase of the polio battle, as authorities confirm that transmission of a mutated strain of the virus—circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus Type 2 (cVPV2)—remains active in parts of the country, despite being declared free of the wild poliovirus (WPV) in 2020.
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) disclosed on Thursday that 17 cases of cVPV2 have been recorded so far in 2025. The agency’s Executive Director, Dr. Muyi Aina, revealed the data at the NPHCDA’s first quarter press briefing in Abuja, stating that the cases were identified across 15 local government areas in eight states as of April 10.
“Let me use this opportunity to reassure all Nigerians that we have remained WPV-free. However, since 2021, we have been contending with the challenge of the cVPV2 – another form of the virus that has mutated over time and started spreading,” Dr. Aina explained.
Of the 17 confirmed cases, 12 were found in children suffering from Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP), while five were detected in environmental samples—signaling ongoing community transmission.
To tackle the resurgence, NPHCDA says it is making strategic adjustments to the national polio response, including revamping team selection for vaccination, strengthening supervision, increasing public engagement, and tightening accountability mechanisms.
As part of the renewed effort, a fresh round of polio vaccinations will begin in northern states this Saturday, April 26, with southern states following in batches from May 3. The northern rollout will be synchronized with other countries in the Lake Chad Basin to maximize coverage and impact.
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“Our Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, joined his counterparts from Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and the Central African Republic in N’Djamena last week to flag off the regional campaign. The collective goal is to reach approximately 83 million children across the basin,” Aina said.
Nigeria’s battle against polio saw a major victory in 2020, when the country was certified free of the wild poliovirus after years of intensive vaccination and surveillance efforts. However, the emergence of cVPV2—a strain that evolves from weakened virus used in oral vaccines and begins circulating in under-immunized communities—has reignited concern among public health experts.
The agency urged Nigerians to cooperate with health workers during the upcoming campaigns and remain vigilant to ensure the hard-won gains in polio eradication are not reversed.
“Every child missed is a risk to all,” Aina warned, emphasizing the need for full community participation.