# Nigeria's Polio Eradication Effort

> On 25 August 2020, the WHO African Region — including Nigeria, the region's last holdout — was certified free of wild poliovirus after four years without a case, the last confirmed in Borno State in August 2016. Wild poliovirus transmission has ended, but Nigeria continues to report circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV2) cases, a distinct and ongoing challenge tied to gaps in routine immunisation.

**Category:** Health & Healthcare · **Updated:** 2026-07-26 19:36:35 · **Canonical:** https://nigeriastuff.org/a/nigeria-polio-eradication

## Key facts
- **Wild polio-free certification:** 25 August 2020, by the Africa Regional Certification Commission (WHO African Region)
- **Last wild poliovirus case:** August 2016, Borno State — the last in the entire WHO African Region
- **Continental commitment:** 1996 Yaoundé (Kick Polio Out of Africa) declaration by the Organisation of African Unity
- **2003–2004 vaccine boycott:** Several northern states, led by Kano, suspended oral polio vaccination over safety rumours; cases rose from 355 (2003) to 682 (2004) nationally
- **Ongoing challenge:** Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) — distinct from wild poliovirus — 98 confirmed Nigerian cases in 2024
- **Lead immunisation agency:** National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), with WHO, UNICEF, and Rotary International (GPEI partners)
- **As of:** 24 July 2026

## Sources
- Global Polio Eradication Initiative applauds WHO African region for wild polio-free certification — World Health Organization (https://www.who.int/news/item/25-08-2020-global-polio-eradication-initiative-applauds-who-african-region-for-wild-polio-free-certification)
- African Region Certified Wild Poliovirus-Free — US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Global Health Newsletter Archive (https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/globalhealth/newsletter/2020/august-25-2020.html)
- Polio: WHO certifies Nigeria free — Vanguard News (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/08/polio-who-certifies-nigeria-free/)
- African region declared free of wild poliovirus — End Polio Now (Rotary International) (https://endpolio.org/african-region-declared-free-of-wild-poliovirus)
- Nigeria ends polio vaccine boycott — UN News (https://news.un.org/en/story/2004/11/121232)
- Five countries report new polio cases — CIDRAP (Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota) (https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/polio/five-countries-report-new-polio-cases)
- Impact Evaluation: Volunteer Community Mobilizers Network for Polio Eradication — UN Evaluation (UNEG member publication) (https://www.unevaluation.org/member_publications/impact-evaluation-volunteer-community-mobilizers-network-polio-eradication)

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