The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has raised concerns over low vaccination coverage as new data show that about 68 per cent of confirmed diphtheria cases involve people who were not vaccinated.
The NCDC also disclosed that about 28 per cent of confirmed cases had an unknown vaccination status.
The agency said the figures highlight the importance of vaccination in preventing the spread of diphtheria, a highly infectious but vaccine-preventable disease.
The Principal Health Communication Officer in the Department of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the NCDC, Michael Okali, disclosed the figures during an interview.
Okali, who also heads the Risk Communication, Community Engagement and Infodemic Management Pillar of the National Diphtheria Incident Management System, warned that everyone remains at risk of contracting the disease.
He urged parents and guardians to ensure that eligible children receive their routine vaccinations.
According to him, diphtheria vaccination is available free of charge at primary healthcare centres across the country.
He also stressed the importance of early detection and prompt reporting, noting that timely intervention could help prevent further transmission and reduce fatalities.
Okali explained that routine childhood vaccination should be administered at six, 10 and 14 weeks. He added that people who are unsure of their vaccination status may require booster vaccines such as Td or Tdap.
The NCDC official further disclosed that eight states account for about 98 per cent of Nigeria’s confirmed diphtheria cases.
The affected states are Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Borno, Bauchi, Plateau, Sokoto and Zamfara.
Data for the period between August 24 and August 30, 2026, showed that Nigeria recorded 69 suspected cases, 48 confirmed cases and four deaths.
The development comes amid intensified efforts by health authorities to contain the spread of diphtheria, particularly in states recording high numbers of cases.
The NCDC has continued to work with relevant health agencies to strengthen surveillance, vaccination and case management as part of measures to control the outbreak.
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