The Federal Government Nigeria has received 177,600 doses of Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine which was procured with assistance Afrexim bank through the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT).
The single-shot vaccines, which were partly produced in Africa are expected to eliminate the need to vaccinate people twice.
This will cut cost of operations and logistics by 50% (approximately), thereby making it easy to deploy in remote areas.
According to the Federal Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, more Johnson and Johnson vaccines are expected to arrive the country soon as 40 million doses of the vaccine have been acquired through AVAT.
Nigeria is expected to step up its Covid vaccination program after receiving over four million doses of the Moderna vaccine from the US government last week.
Only about one percent of the population has been vaccinated, so far.
The second phase of the national vaccination programme is expected to kick-off next Monday.