Governors in Nigeria’s northern states say they will receive the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF), through its Chairman, Governor Simon Lalong, disclosed this during a webinar on Thursday organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation.

Mr. Lalong, represented by the Secretary to the Plateau State Government, Prof. Danladi Atu, said, “We, the northern governors, have agreed to take the first doses of the vaccines.”

The webinar highlighted the vaccine’s safety and efficacy, clarified concerns, and provided answers to speculations surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines.

Peoples Gazette reported that 100,000 doses of the vaccine would arrive in Nigeria at the end of January. This first batch will be administered on 50,000 people in two doses with 21 days interval.

The first set of individuals to get the vaccines are health and other essential workers, persons above the age of 50, and individuals with underlying health conditions, according to the guidelines given by the World Health Organisation.

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency projected that 70 per cent of Nigerians would get the vaccine in two years and expected that the first phase would see 40 per cent of the population vaccinated and 39 per cent in the second phase.