FG Records Over 100 Rabies Cases In 2026, Targets 70% Dog Vaccination.

The Federal Government has called for strengthened collaboration among government institutions, communities, development partners, the private sector and other stakeholders to accelerate efforts towards the elimination of rabies in Nigeria.

The call was made on Friday, 25 September 2026, during activities to commemorate the 2026 World Rabies Day, with the theme: “Stronger Together: Ending Rabies in Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria and Director, Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Dr. Samuel Akawu Anzaku, said rabies remained a major public health concern, despite being a preventable and vaccine-preventable disease.

He said Nigeria was joining the global effort to eliminate rabies by 2030, stressing that the commemoration should go beyond a one-day event and translate public awareness into sustained and practical interventions, particularly through mass dog vaccination.

According to him, "Activities lined up for the campaign include mass vaccination targeting communities and Area Councils, a technical symposium and wider national mobilisation involving State Veterinary Services, the private sector, development partners and other relevant stakeholders.

Dr. Anzaku also disclosed, plans to introduce human pre-exposure prophylaxis for frontline workers who are regularly exposed to dogs, including veterinarians, para-veterinary professionals and hunters.

He emphasised the importance of adopting the One Health approach in addressing rabies, noting that effective control requires coordinated action across the livestock, human health and environmental sectors.

The Chief Veterinary Officer also called for stronger measures to address the challenge of stray dogs, with the active involvement of relevant environmental authorities.

He urged members of the public to take unusual changes in the behaviour of dogs seriously, particularly unprovoked aggression, excessive irritability and abnormal biting.

He further advised dog owners to ensure that, their animals are regularly vaccinated and encouraged anyone bitten or exposed to a suspected rabid animal to report immediately to the nearest health or veterinary facility for appropriate medical attention.

Also speaking, the National Coordinator, Rabies Control Programme in Nigeria and Coordinator, National One Health Technical Working Group on Rabies, Dr. George Uzaga Onyemaokwu, disclosed that Nigeria continues to record cases of rabies across the country, with reports received from between 18 and 20 states in some months.

He said more than 100 cases had already been recorded between January and August 2026, noting that rabies has been reported in different parts of the country, with some areas in the North-Central and North-East identified as areas of particular concern.

Dr. Onyemaokwu identified responsible dog ownership as one of the most important measures for controlling rabies. He explained that while dogs are not naturally carriers of the virus, they can become infected when exposed to the rabies virus.

He disclosed that Nigeria has an estimated dog population of more than 30 million and stressed the importance of achieving high vaccination coverage, with a target of vaccinating approximately 70 per cent of the dog population.

He therefore called on State Governments, development partners, private-sector organisations and other stakeholders to support mass dog vaccination campaigns, noting that prevention through vaccination remains critical to saving lives and reducing the economic burden associated with rabies.

Other stakeholders at the event also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the national response to rabies.

The One Health Lead at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr. Nasir Ahmed, stressed the need for sustained collaboration among government institutions, communities and other stakeholders. He noted that the Centre continues to support public awareness and access to post-exposure prophylaxis for persons exposed to rabies.

The FCT One Health Desk Officer, Dr. Sharifat Fadugba, called for stronger community engagement, improved availability of reliable data on the dog population and increased vaccination coverage, particularly at the grassroots level.

The Chairperson, Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), FCT Chapter, Dr. Chinnemeka Joe Irobe, who represented the National President, Dr. Moses Arokoju, disclosed that the Association had commenced mass dog vaccination across rural communities in the FCT.

She reaffirmed the Association’s commitment to supporting national efforts towards the prevention and eventual elimination of rabies.

The stakeholders called on Nigerians to practise responsible dog ownership, ensure that their dogs are vaccinated and promptly report all dog-bite incidents to the nearest health or veterinary facility for appropriate intervention.

They stressed that, sustained collaboration across the human, animal and environmental health sectors remains essential to achieving Nigeria’s goal of eliminating rabies by 2030.