…Firm to procure 4m more
One of Nigeria’s largest business conglomerates, BUA Group, has paid for one million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines for the country.
The company also made a commitment to buy additional four million doses – all to be distributed to Nigerians at no cost.
The vaccine purchase is being undertaken through BUA-CACOVID-AFREXIM partnership, a coalition of private sector operators helping governments and championing the fight against the pandemic.
The first batch of one million doses of the vaccine, which is expected to be delivered by next week, will be the first delivery of inoculations to Nigeria since the COVID-19 vaccines became available.
Philanthropist and Founder of BUA Abdul Samad Rabiu said the vaccines will be distributed free to Nigerians at no cost.
He hailed the President of the Afrexim Bank, Dr. Benedict Oramah for making the purchase possible and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, for coordinating the process through the CACOVID private sector partnership.
“BUA decided to secure these one million vaccines by paying the full amount for the vaccines today because these vaccines became available only last week through AFREXIM. We expect the vaccines to be delivered within the next 14 days and hope priority will be given to our frontline workers who have committed their lives to managing the pandemic,” Rabiu said.
He added that BUA is committing to purchase five million doses for Nigeria as soon as they become available through the same arrangement.
This development effectively pushes Africa’s most populous nation to the front of the queue in vaccine procurement.
