The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has disclosed that the country recorded 19,213 confirmed cases of measles and 153 related deaths between January and November 2025, underscoring renewed concerns over vaccine-preventable diseases and immunisation coverage nationwide.
According to the agency, the confirmed cases emerged from 26,866 suspected cases reported across 507 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The disclosure was contained in the Measles Situation Report released by the NCDC and made available to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.
Measles is an acute and highly contagious viral disease characterised by fever, red rash, cough and conjunctivitis. It is transmitted through coughing and sneezing, direct contact with respiratory secretions or aerosols, and close personal contact. The virus can remain infectious in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours, with peak transmissibility occurring from four days before to four days after the onset of rash.
Detailing the epidemiological situation for November 2025, the report stated that Delta (13 cases), Kwara (6), Bayelsa (6), Jigawa (6), and Akwa Ibom (5) accounted for 50.7 per cent of the 71 suspected cases reported during the month.
“Of the suspected cases reported in November, one case (1.41 per cent) was confirmed—lab-confirmed—seven cases (9.86 per cent) were discarded, while 63 cases (88.73 per cent) remained pending classification,” the report noted.
It added that 47 LGAs across 20 states reported at least one suspected case in November, with no deaths recorded among confirmed cases during the month.
Providing a broader national picture, the NCDC stated that between January and November 2025, Borno (7,968 cases), Zamfara (4,779), Yobe (2,076), Bauchi (1,574), and Kebbi (1,357) accounted for 66.1 per cent of the total suspected cases reported nationwide.
“Of the 26,866 suspected cases, 19,213 (71.51 per cent) were confirmed—comprising 2,791 laboratory-confirmed, 2,013 epidemiologically linked, and 14,409 clinically compatible cases. Meanwhile, 6,440 cases (23.78 per cent) were discarded, and 1,213 cases (3.38 per cent) were pending classification,” the report stated.
The agency further revealed that children aged nine to 59 months were the most affected, accounting for 9,399 cases (48.92 per cent) of all confirmed infections.
“A total of 153 deaths were recorded among confirmed cases, representing a case fatality rate of 0.8 per cent,” the NCDC said.
Alarmingly, the report showed that 14,801 cases (77.04 per cent) of those infected had not received any dose of the measles vaccine, classifying them as zero-dose children.
On outbreak trends, the NCDC reported that 188 LGAs across 27 states experienced measles outbreaks during the period under review.
“In November, only **one LGA—Eti-Osa in Lagos State—had an ongoing measles outbreak. No new outbreaks were reported during the month, while 187 LGAs across 27 states had successfully ended their outbreaks by the end of November 2025,” the report added.
In response to the resurgence of measles, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on October 6, officially launched the Measles-Rubella vaccine introduction and integrated vaccination campaign.
According to her, the campaign is projected to reach approximately 106 million children aged nine months to under 15 years, to be implemented in two phases nationwide.
She described the initiative as the largest health campaign in Africa’s history, aimed at protecting millions of children and adolescents against measles, rubella and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
The integrated campaign also incorporates polio vaccination and the rollout of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for adolescent girls, as part of broader efforts to strengthen routine immunisation and child health outcomes in Nigeria.
About the Author
