EHealth Africa uses geospatial tools to reach zero dose children in Nigeria

eHealth Africa uses geospatial mapping and digital tools to help Nigeria reach children who have not received routine vaccines.

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Nigeria had the highest number of zero dose children globally in 2023, with approximately 2.1 million children missing a single routine dose. The organisation uses these technologies to identify remote settlements, track vaccination teams, and manage vaccine logistics.

Abubakar Shehu of eHealth Africa says the organisation moved from hand drawn maps to geographic information system maps to identify missed communities. The organisation also developed PlanFeld, a digital tool that creates vaccination plans. Shehu says this tool reduced the time needed to create microplans from as many as 10 days to between 5 and 10 minutes.

In Kebbi State, the tool helped officials redistribute vaccination teams more evenly, which reduced the proportion of planned settlements missed during implementation from over 20% to around 6%. The organisation also manages vaccine delivery and storage. It uses a logistics management information system to track vaccine movements and stock levels. In Sokoto State, the Vaccine Direct Delivery intervention increased the number of served health facilities from 351 to 407 in the first half of 2026.

To keep vaccines potent in areas with unreliable electricity, the organisation installed solar power systems at 238 primary healthcare centres. Nnenna Ohaeri of eHealth Africa says the long term success of these tools depends on Nigerian institutions being able to fund and maintain them. Shehu says technology must be designed with human centred principles to ensure that governments can continue to operate the systems after donor funding ends.