Stakeholders in Nigeria’s human health, livestock and environmental sectors have renewed their commitment to eliminating rabies by 2030, with calls for sustained public awareness, mass dog vaccination and stronger coordination across sectors.
The commitment was made during activities marking the 2026 World Rabies Day in Abuja, held under the theme, “Stronger Together: Ending Rabies in Nigeria.” The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development said coordinated action among government institutions, communities, development partners and the private sector would be critical to achieving the target.
The Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria and Director of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Dr. Samuel Akawu Anzaku, described rabies as a major public health concern despite being preventable through vaccination.
Anzaku said the annual awareness campaign should translate into sustained interventions, particularly mass vaccination of dogs. He said Nigeria was participating in the global effort to eliminate human deaths from dog mediated rabies by 2030.
Nigeria recorded more than 100 rabies cases between January and August 2026, according to the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development. The National Coordinator of the Rabies Control Programme, Dr. George Onyemaokwu, said cases had been reported in between 18 and 20 states during some months, with parts of the North Central and North East identified as areas of particular concern.
Onyemaokwu said Nigeria has an estimated dog population of more than 30 million and needs to vaccinate about 70 percent of the population to strengthen control of the disease. He urged state governments, development partners and private sector organisations to support mass vaccination campaigns.
The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development said the government was also considering human pre exposure vaccination for frontline workers who have regular contact with dogs, including veterinarians, para veterinary professionals and hunters.
The FCT One Health Desk Officer, Dr. Sharifat Fadugba, called for stronger community engagement, better data on the country’s dog population and increased vaccination coverage, particularly at the grassroots level.
The Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association’s FCT Chapter also disclosed that it had begun mass dog vaccination in rural communities across the Federal Capital Territory. The association said it would continue supporting national efforts to prevent and eventually eliminate rabies.
Stakeholders also stressed the importance of responsible animal ownership and prompt medical attention following dog bites or other possible exposure to rabies. Dog owners were urged to keep their animals vaccinated and report suspected cases to veterinary or health facilities.
Rabies is a viral zoonotic disease that is almost entirely preventable through measures including animal vaccination, surveillance and timely access to post exposure prophylaxis. The World Health Organization and its partners have set a global target of zero human deaths from dog mediated rabies by 2030.
The renewed focus on vaccination and surveillance reflects the One Health approach, which recognises that controlling diseases transmitted between animals and humans requires coordinated action across veterinary, human health and environmental systems.
For Nigeria, sustained investment in dog vaccination, reliable disease surveillance, community education and access to post exposure treatment will remain central to reducing preventable deaths and advancing the country’s 2030 elimination target.
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