The Federal Government, the Gates Foundation and the Aliko Dangote Foundation have stepped up efforts to eliminate polio in Nigeria, rallying state governors to intensify action against the circulating variant poliovirus types 2 and 3.
A high-level joint delegation paid an advocacy visit to the Governor of Gombe State and Chairman of the National Economic Council (NEC) Task Team on Polio Eradication, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, as part of renewed efforts to interrupt transmission of all poliovirus variants within the next two years.
The move comes as Nigeria builds on the historic certification of the African region as free of wild poliovirus in 2020, with authorities now focused on ending the remaining circulating variants.
The delegation was led by the Executive Secretary of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, representing the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, alongside the President of Global Development at the Gates Foundation, Mr. Chris Elias.
During the meeting, the team stressed the need for stronger coordination across federal, state and local governments, especially in high-risk and hard-to-reach communities. They noted that the final phase of eradication requires sustained political commitment, community engagement, effective disease surveillance and high-quality immunization campaigns.
Dr. Aina described Governor Inuwa Yahaya as a key driver of Nigeria’s polio eradication efforts, praising his leadership of the NEC Task Team for strengthening accountability and intergovernmental collaboration.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ending polio transmission, stressing that success depends on sustained political will, grassroots mobilization and partnerships with development agencies.
Mr. Chris Elias commended Nigeria’s recent progress, attributing gains to improved governance, stronger primary healthcare systems and the active involvement of state governors. He also applauded Governor Inuwa Yahaya for championing the eradication agenda through the NEC platform.
In his response, Governor Inuwa Yahaya pledged to lead the country’s final push to eliminate polio. He said he would continue to mobilize fellow governors, particularly in frontline states, to scale up interventions and ensure effective implementation at local government and community levels.
“As Chairman of the NEC Task Team on Polio Eradication, I will continue to mobilize governors, deepen collaboration with the Federal Government and partners, and ensure that our commitments translate into measurable impact,” he said.
The governor described polio eradication as a national development priority, noting its importance for child survival, human capital development and long-term economic growth.
In his capacity as Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, he also pledged to strengthen collaboration with traditional rulers and community leaders to boost public awareness, counter misinformation and improve vaccine acceptance across the region.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya assured the delegation that Gombe State would sustain investments in routine immunization, disease surveillance and primary healthcare delivery to ensure no child is left behind.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from the NPHCDA, the Gates Foundation and the Aliko Dangote Foundation, alongside the Deputy Governor of Zamfara State and the Director-General of the Northern States Governors’ Forum.
