Meningitis Outbreak in Northwest Nigeria Claims 26 Lives

Meningitis Outbreak in Northwest Nigeria 

ABUJA – A meningitis outbreak in Nigeria’s northwest Kebbi state has resulted in at least 26 deaths, health authorities confirmed on Tuesday. Nigeria remains a hotspot for the disease in Africa, with over 1,700 cases and more than 150 fatalities recorded across seven states last year.

Kebbi State Health Commissioner Musa Ismaila reported a surge in cases across three local government areas, with 248 suspected cases identified. Eleven samples were sent to the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja, with two testing negative and nine still pending. Symptoms of the disease include fever, severe headaches, and neck stiffness.

Meningitis, an inflammation of the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, spreads primarily through respiratory droplets from coughing, sneezing, and close contact. In response, the Kebbi state government has deployed medical supplies to affected areas and established isolation centers in Gwandu, Jega, and Aliero with support from Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

Neighboring Sokoto state has also issued a health alert, urging residents to remain vigilant and seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms. Sokoto State Health Commissioner Faruk Abubakar emphasized the importance of early detection to prevent further spread.

Meningitis is a recurring public health challenge in Nigeria, particularly during the hot season. The country, which also bears the world’s highest malaria burden, previously received support from the United States Agency for International Development to combat these diseases, but that assistance has recently been withdrawn.

Between 2022 and 2023, Nigeria recorded 2,765 suspected meningitis cases and 190 deaths, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. The World Health Organization reported 153 deaths from a similar outbreak in 2024.

In efforts to curb the disease, Nigeria became the first country to introduce the Men5C vaccine, described as “revolutionary” by the WHO. The country is also working to implement a roadmap approved by the World Health Assembly in 2020, aiming to eradicate meningitis by 2030.