An additional 41 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been acquired by the Nigerian government, as stated by health minister Osagie Ehanire.
The minister said that the date for the delivery of the vaccine doses has not been set.
He added that the date will be set when the manufacturers are able to deliver the vaccine doses.
Ehanire said, “We do not have an exact date.
“The date it comes out depends on when the manufacturers are able to deliver, and that is not something that any country can enforce at this time.”
The vaccines were secured by efforts of the African Union (AU) to assist countries on the continent to get vaccines for their citizens.
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In an announcement on Thursday announced that it had secured an extra 400 million COVID-19 vaccines for the African continent.’
This is in addition to the already-secured 270 million doses it said it had secured.
On Nigeria not being able to set the time of delivery, Ehanire explained, “the timelines are not in the hands of the recipient.”
Who Will Pay For The Vaccine?
The vaccines are gotten from three main pharmaceutical sources including AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson.
The source of funding for the purchase of the vaccine doses is the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
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Ehanire said of the funding, “Nigeria is mobilising resources.
“We have some funds ready. We will make a substantial deposit when it is time.”
He added that Nigeria would cover the cost of logistics of delivery and administration.
