By Muhammad Amaan
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to revamp the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) in Vom, Plateau State, to better meet the country’s vaccine needs and address zoonotic diseases.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, made the announcement during the 2025 Ministerial news conference on Friday in Abuja.
He highlighted that the institute, which had been in existence for more than 100 years, was currently using outdated equipment and technology, which was insufficient to meet the vaccine requirements for all animal species in Nigeria.
Maiha emphasised that the ministry’s priority was to modernise the institute to effectively meet vaccine demands for a range of animals, from poultry to camels, while also reducing the country’s dependence on imported vaccines.
“We are going to embark on the full commercialisation of the institute, enabling it to supply a minimum of 1.2 billion doses annually.
“Currently, the institute provides only 50 per cent of the nation’s vaccine requirements, which is inadequate for effective disease management in animals.
“The focus is on animal health and disease control. Without the ability to manage endemic and zoonotic diseases, Nigeria cannot compete in the international market,” he added.
The minister also pointed out that the country spends at least 1.5 billion dollars annually on importing vaccines for its animal resources, a cost that should be invested domestically by boosting the capacity of NVRI to meet global standards.
“We aim to increase the institute’s capacity to perform optimally and place it on par with leading countries like Brazil, Egypt, Morocco, Botswana, and South Africa in the international market,” Maiha said.
