The Federal Government said that vaccinating Nigerians with COVID-19 vaccines over the next two years would run to the tune of N296 billion.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, on Wednesday to journalists at the State House after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
The minister stated, “For the military hardware, we have met with the service chiefs and the Chief of Defence Staff. They are supposed to aggregate their request for review amongst themselves and then pass it to Mr. President, who will send the request to us.
“So, we are waiting for the information of the aggregate requirements.
“On the N296 billion for COVID-19 vaccination, Sometime in January, the President, based on the request by the Ministry of Health, gave approval in principle for the Ministry of Health to work with the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to prepare and take to the National Assembly a supplementary budget for COVID-19 vaccination.
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“The submission that was made to Mr. President at that time was in the sum of N399billion, but included in this N399 billion was N103 billion for building of primary healthcare centres.
“So, we have worked with and met several times with the ministry and we have agreed to back out from this building of primary health care centres. That can wait till later.
“So, there is still a provision of N296 billion for COVID-19 vaccinations for 2021 and 2022.”
