Nigeria’s diphtheria resurgence is being driven mainly by gaps in childhood immunisation and low vaccination coverage rather than the rainy season, public health expert Dr Isaac Egboja has said.
Egboja made the clarification during an interview with ARISE News on Friday, September 4, 2026, as health authorities continue to respond to the spread of the vaccine-preventable disease in several parts of the country.
According to the expert, many children either have not received diphtheria vaccines or failed to complete the recommended vaccination schedule.
He identified missed doses, insecurity, displacement and overcrowding in internally displaced persons’ camps as factors that can leave children vulnerable to infection.
Egboja said Kano remains a major centre of the outbreak, while other affected states include Katsina, Plateau, Niger, Bauchi and Borno.
Nigeria records over 10,000 cases
The warning comes amid a continuing national burden of diphtheria.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reported in late August that more than 10,000 confirmed diphtheria cases had been recorded across the country in 2026.
NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, said the continuing cases highlighted the need to improve vaccination coverage, particularly among children who have not been vaccinated or have not completed their vaccination schedules.
He also identified vaccine hesitancy, insecurity, displacement, hard-to-reach communities and population movement as challenges to reaching vulnerable children.
The situation has also affected individual states. In Niger State, officials reported 124 diphtheria cases and 17 deaths between January and August 2026, prompting further vaccination and public-awareness measures.
Expert rejects rainy-season explanation
Egboja rejected the suggestion that the current increase in cases was primarily a consequence of the rainy season.
He said the central issue was the number of children who remain unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated.
Research published in BMC Public Health also examined seasonal differences in diphtheria awareness and vaccination attitudes in Northern Nigeria. The study, involving 3,070 respondents, found no significant seasonal difference in willingness to vaccinate, with 94.4 per cent of respondents expressing willingness to receive diphtheria vaccination. citeturn1search5
The study nevertheless noted that diphtheria remains a significant public health concern and recommended sustained health education and stronger community-level interventions.
Calls for stronger immunisation
Egboja urged state and local governments to intensify routine immunisation and identify children who missed scheduled doses or booster vaccinations.
He also called for health facilities to monitor their communities and reach children who have never been vaccinated, as well as those who discontinued their vaccination schedules.
The NCDC similarly states that diphtheria is primarily controlled by achieving high population immunity through strong vaccination coverage. citeturn0search8
Beyond vaccination, Egboja stressed the importance of early detection and treatment. He warned that shortages of diphtheria antitoxin and other essential medical supplies could make the management of severe cases more difficult.
He advised people to seek medical attention quickly when symptoms such as fever, extreme tiredness, difficulty breathing, neck swelling or a thick grey coating in the throat occur.
Diphtheria is a serious but vaccine-preventable bacterial infection. Health authorities and experts continue to emphasise complete childhood immunisation, rapid detection and timely treatment as key measures for reducing transmission and deaths.
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