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By Doris Obinna
As the world marks World Polio Day 2025, today, October 24, the World Health Organization (WHO) has commended Africa’s continued progress toward a future free of the disease, while urging countries to sustain momentum to reach every child, with every vaccine, everywhere.
This year’s theme, “End Polio: Every Child, Every Vaccine, Everywhere,” emphasises the need to ensure that no child, in any community, is left unprotected from this preventable disease.
WHO in a statement, disclosed that across the continent, countries are recording major gains; between January and October 2025, 15 African countries reached nearly 200 million children with at least one dose of polio vaccine through supplementary immunization rounds. “Thirteen of these countries mounted synchronized campaigns, including in highly challenging and conflict-affected areas.
“In the Horn of Africa, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia jointly vaccinated more than 18 million children in two consecutive rounds, demonstrating the power of regional collaboration.
“Nigeria, once the global epicentre of wild poliovirus continues to play a leading role in sustaining Africa’s polio-free status. Since interrupting transmission of wild poliovirus in 2016 and being certified free of it in 2020, the country has focused on preventing re-emergence through strengthened surveillance and community outreach.”
WHO noted that Nigeria remains central to the fight against variant polioviruses circulating in parts of Africa. “Cross-border synchronization campaigns between Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger in the Lake Chad Basin and Sahel have been crucial to reaching vulnerable border communities. In April 2025, Ministers of Health launched a coordinated effort to protect 83 million children across the sub-region, including millions in northern Nigeria.
“These cross-border efforts have been essential to ensuring that children in border settlements, internally displaced populations and nomadic groups are not missed,” WHO said.
The Organisation reported that the number of African countries with active type two poliovirus outbreaks dropped from 24 in 2024 to 14 in 2025, while total virus detections decreased by 54 per cent. “Madagascar declared the end of its circulating variant poliovirus type one outbreak in May, following sustained response and surveillance.”
WHO also credited strengthened laboratory and surveillance systems across the region, with 11 WHO-supported laboratories expanding genomic sequencing capacity and six piloting advanced techniques. “Nigeria’s National Polio Laboratory in Ibadan remains a cornerstone of regional surveillance, contributing data for early detection and response.
“Environmental surveillance including monitoring of sewage systems for polioviruses has expanded to 98 per cent of countries in the WHO African Region, providing early warnings of transmission. In Nigeria, wastewater monitoring in cities such as Kano, Sokoto, Maiduguri and Lagos continues to play a key role in tracking virus circulation.
“Digital innovation has also boosted efficiency. WHO said more than 850,000 frontline health workers across Africa now receive digital payments through mobile-money platforms, with 95 per cent paid within 10 days of campaign completion. Nigeria has been a leader in implementing this system, improving accountability and motivation among vaccination teams working in remote and insecure areas.”
Despite this progress, WHO cautioned that challenges remain, including insecurity in some parts of northern Nigeria, declining routine immunization coverage in certain regions, and persistent vaccine hesitancy.
“To truly end polio, countries must sustain cross-border coordination, reach zero-dose and under-immunised children, and maintain high-quality outbreak response. Ending polio is not only about halting transmission it’s about building resilient health systems that protect every child,” WHO said.
