C-WINS, Centre for Well-Being and Integrated Nutrition Solutions
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After the MR Campaign: Who Is Reaching the Children Still Left Unprotected?

IMMUNISATION | MEASLES & RUBELLA

Nigeria’s vaccination gains must translate into routine protection for every child.

Every child needs more than one opportunity

When a vaccination campaign comes to a community, parents and caregivers have an important opportunity to protect their children against preventable diseases. But what happens to children who miss the campaign, or those who need another dose after it ends?

For Nigeria, this is an important question as the country works to protect children against measles and rubella and strengthen routine immunisation.

The Nigeria Mini-Demographic and Health Survey 2025–26 Key Indicators Report highlights gaps that deserve attention:

Key measles vaccination indicators from the Nigeria Mini-DHS 2025 to 26: 55.4% of children aged 12 to 23 months received their first measles vaccine dose; 38.2% of children aged 24 to 35 months received their second measles vaccine dose; 29.4% of children aged 12 to 23 months received no vaccinations.
Figure 1. Key measles vaccination indicators from the Nigeria Mini-DHS 2025–26

These figures point to a challenge that goes beyond campaign delivery. Reaching children during a mass vaccination exercise is essential, but sustaining protection requires strong routine immunisation services at primary healthcare centres and through outreach to communities.

The numbers at a glance

The chart below puts the three indicators side by side. Each bar is measured against 100% of children in that age group, so the grey space shows the share not reached.

Bar chart of measles vaccination indicators, Nigeria Mini-DHS 2025 to 26: first measles dose (aged 12 to 23 months) 55.4%; second measles dose (aged 24 to 35 months) 38.2%; received no vaccinations (aged 12 to 23 months) 29.4%.
Figure 2. Share of children reached, by indicator (grey = not reached)

Another way to see it: if we picture 100 children in each age group, the squares below show how many fall into each category.

Grids of 100 squares showing about 55 of 100 children aged 12 to 23 months with a first measles dose, about 38 of 100 children aged 24 to 35 months with a second measles dose, and about 29 of 100 children aged 12 to 23 months with no vaccinations.
Figure 3. Each square represents about 1 in 100 children (rounded to the nearest whole number)

How to read these figures

The survey figures relate to measles vaccination indicators. They should not be interpreted as direct measurements of the MR campaign’s reach or as separate estimates of routine measles-rubella coverage. However, they underline the need to track routine vaccination alongside campaign achievements.

Why does this matter?

Measles spreads easily and can cause serious illness, complications and death, particularly among young children who are not protected. Vaccination helps protect individual children and reduces the risk of wider transmission in communities.

A child who missed a vaccination campaign should not be forgotten. Families can visit their nearest primary healthcare centre to check the child’s vaccination record and find out which doses are due. Health workers can help identify missed doses and guide caregivers on the appropriate schedule.

From a missed campaign to the right dose in four steps: the campaign comes to the community; the child misses it or needs a further dose; the family visits the nearest primary health centre; a health worker checks the card and the doses that are due.
Figure 4. From a missed campaign to the right dose: the route back to protection

Turning campaign reach into lasting protection

Closing the gaps requires coordinated action from everyone involved:

Parents and caregivers
Keep each child’s vaccination card safe and ask health workers about any missed doses.
Health workers
Review vaccination records, identify children who have missed doses and follow up with their caregivers.
Community and traditional leaders
Help address rumours, encourage vaccination and reach families who may be missed by routine services.
Government and health authorities
Ensure vaccines, trained health workers and reliable services are available at primary healthcare centres, including in underserved communities.

The bottom line

A successful campaign is an important milestone, but every child needs continued access to routine immunisation. The next step is to identify who remains unprotected and connect them to the services that can help keep them safe.

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