COVID-19: Nigeria to get Pfizer vaccines by January 2021 – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance and Director-General candidate of World Trade Organisation, has disclosed that negotiations are currently going on with Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers to get vaccines early enough to developing countries including Nigeria from January next year.

She disclosed this on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, in Abuja.

She said, “As long as one person has it in the world, no one is safe. And that is why poorer countries, lower-middle-income countries like Nigeria, need to get it as quickly as possible.”

“So, the Pfizer vaccine, the AstraZeneca, those are being negotiated now so that poor countries don’t have to stand in line behind rich countries.”

“So, we hope they are starting by the end of January. We will be able to reach these countries, including most of the African countries. Nigeria included will be able to get access to some of these vaccines.

“Initially, it will be for frontline health workers, followed by some other target groups – older people, those with underlying conditions and then, from there, the rest of the population. I think the COVAX facility can cover maybe 20-23 per cent of the population by the end of next year,” Okonjo-Iweala added.