The Federal Government has inaugurated a newly constructed 40 million-dose capacity solar-powered strategic vaccine storage facility in Sheda, located along the Abuja-Lokoja Road in the Federal Capital Territory. The facility, built under the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) with support from the World Bank, was unveiled on Wednesday by the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, alongside Prof. Attahiru Jega, co-chair of the Presidential Livestock Reforms Committee.
The minister disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, highlighting the facility’s role in strengthening Nigeria’s animal health infrastructure and service delivery.
A Milestone for Animal Health
Speaking at the inauguration, Maiha described the facility as a strategic step toward addressing critical gaps in vaccine storage and distribution. “Today, we are bridging the critical storage gap with a world-class facility that will ensure efficient and effective storage and distribution of vaccines across the country. This facility is designed with a cutting-edge solar-powered system, ensuring resilience against power supply challenges and sustainability,” he said.
The minister emphasized the facility’s capacity to store 40 million doses of vaccines, which will enhance Nigeria’s ability to respond to emerging zoonotic outbreaks and transboundary animal diseases. “We are now better equipped to subvert major zoonotic threats, thereby safeguarding both animal and human health,” Maiha added.
Commitment to Livestock Reforms
Prof. Attahiru Jega, speaking on behalf of the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee, underscored the significance of the facility in advancing the Federal Government’s commitment to improving the health, productivity, and resilience of Nigeria’s livestock sector.
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“Animal diseases, particularly transboundary and zoonotic diseases, pose a serious threat to food and nutrition security, public health, and overall economic stability in our country. The establishment of this facility is a crucial milestone in the fight against these challenges and in repositioning the livestock sector,” Jega stated. He added that the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s broader objectives for a reformed and well-developed livestock sector.
Plans for Vaccine Production
Maiha also revealed plans to fully commercialize the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) in Jos to boost local vaccine production. “We aim to ensure the full commercialization of NVRI so that we can build up the institutional capacity to supply annually about 1.2 billion vaccines across the range,” he said. The minister acknowledged the support of the L-PRES project and the World Bank in achieving this milestone.
L-PRES Project’s Role
The National Project Coordinator of L-PRES, Sanusi Abubakar, explained that the facility was developed based on a thorough needs assessment conducted in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria. He recalled the project’s recent success in delivering 13 million doses of anthrax vaccines to veterinary offices across all 36 states and the FCT during the recent anthrax outbreak.
Abubakar stated that the new facility will serve as a central hub for storing large quantities of vaccines, whether locally produced or imported. It will also ensure quality control, cold chain maintenance, tracking, and serve as a repository for emergency risk-based vaccination.
