Nigeria recorded 26,866 suspected measles cases and 153 deaths between January and November 2025, with outbreaks spreading across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, latest data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has revealed.
The figures are contained in the NCDC Measles Situation Report for November 2025, which showed that although no death was recorded in November, the disease continued to affect mostly unvaccinated children, exposing persistent gaps in routine immunisation across the country.
The agency reported 71 suspected measles cases in November alone, spanning 20 states and 47 local government areas. Of the cases, only one was laboratory-confirmed, while 63 remained pending classification and seven were discarded.
States with the highest number of suspected cases in the month were Delta (13), Kwara (6), Bayelsa (6), Jigawa (6) and Akwa Ibom (5), accounting for over 50 per cent of reported infections.
Despite the ongoing transmission, the NCDC said no death was linked to confirmed measles cases in November.
Cumulatively, measles cases were reported in 507 LGAs nationwide, with five states accounting for more than two-thirds of the national burden.
According to the report, Borno (7,968), Zamfara (4,779), Yobe (2,076), Bauchi (1,574) and Kebbi (1,357) recorded the highest number of suspected cases, together representing 66.1 per cent of all reported infections in 2025.
Out of the total suspected cases, 19,213 (71.5 per cent) were confirmed, including 2,791 laboratory-confirmed, 2,013 epidemiologically linked, and 14,409 clinically compatible cases.
The NCDC also disclosed that 6,440 cases were discarded, while 1,213 cases remained under investigation as of the end of November.
Children, unvaccinated most affected
The report raised fresh concerns about childhood immunisation, revealing that children aged between nine and 59 months accounted for 9,399 confirmed cases, representing 48.9 per cent of all infections.
More worrying, 14,801 confirmed cases — about 77 per cent — occurred among children who had not received a single dose of the measles vaccine, underscoring the link between poor vaccination coverage and recurring outbreaks.
In total, 153 deaths were recorded among confirmed cases, resulting in a case fatality rate of 0.8 per cent, the same rate recorded during the corresponding period in 2024.
The NCDC said 188 LGAs in 27 states recorded measles outbreaks during the review period.
However, by the end of November, 187 LGAs had successfully ended their outbreaks, leaving Eti-Osa Local Government Area in Lagos State as the only LGA with an active outbreak nationwide.
The agency noted that no new outbreak was reported in November, attributing the improvement to intensified surveillance and response efforts.
Reiterating its call for action, the NCDC urged governments at all levels to strengthen routine immunisation, close vaccination gaps, and improve disease surveillance, warning that measles remains a highly contagious and preventable disease, particularly deadly among young children.
Measles is spread through airborne droplets and can lead to severe complications such as pneumonia, blindness and death, especially in unvaccinated individuals.
Health experts insist that vaccination remains the most effective protection against the disease.
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