Nigeria's Government Aims to Eradicate Rabies by 2030

On September 28, 2026, the Federal Government of Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to eliminate rabies by 2030 at the World Rabies Day Symposium held in Abuja. The event, chaired by Dr. Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, aimed to raise awareness about rabies as a significant public health challenge.

Dr. Akujobi highlighted that rabies is a preventable zoonotic disease, with dogs responsible for over 99% of human rabies deaths globally. She called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders in human, animal, and environmental health sectors to enhance mass dog vaccination, public awareness, and access to post-exposure prophylaxis.

The Ministry procured 26,000 doses of rabies vaccines in the previous year and is working on acquiring more. Dr. Samuel Anzaku, Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, emphasized the need for a coordinated One Health approach to combat rabies, addressing challenges such as inadequate vaccination coverage and weak surveillance systems.