Oluwatobi Adu 
Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine specialist, Dr Olisa Fiyinfolu (Photo credit: Dr Olisa Fiyinfolu)
ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria has recorded more than 100 rabies cases between January and August 2026, with reports coming from as many as 18 to 20 states in some months, highlighting persistent gaps in dog vaccination, surveillance and access to post-exposure treatment.
The development comes as the Federal Government targets the vaccination of about 70 per cent of Nigeria’s estimated dog population of more than 30 million. The goal is to interrupt dog-to-human transmission and eliminate dog-mediated human rabies by 2030.
However, experts say sustained funding, mass dog vaccination, stronger surveillance and wider access to post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) will be critical to achieving the target.
In an exclusive interview with Africa Health Report on Tuesday, Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine specialist Dr Olisa Fiyinfolu, identified inadequate dog vaccination, weak surveillance and gaps in responsible dog ownership as major drivers of rabies transmission in Nigeria.
He also outlined what Nigerians should do after a suspected exposure and the measures needed to prevent further deaths.
Why Rabies Remains a Threat in Nigeria
According to Fiyinfolu, the continued occurrence of rabies in Nigeria is largely linked to inadequate vaccination coverage among dogs.
He also identified gaps in responsible dog ownership, surveillance, public awareness and access to post-exposure treatment as major factors sustaining transmission.
These challenges are particularly important because rabies is preventable when exposed people receive appropriate treatment promptly.
What to Do After a Dog Bite
Fiyinfolu said anyone bitten by a dog or exposed to suspected rabies should immediately wash and flush the wound with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes.
Where available, he said an appropriate antiseptic such as povidone-iodine can be applied afterwards. He warned against applying irritants such as pepper, plant extracts, acids or alkalis to the wound.
The victim should then seek medical care as soon as possible for assessment and possible rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, commonly known as PEP.
Depending on the severity of the exposure, treatment may include rabies vaccination and, for severe Category III exposures, rabies immunoglobulin.
Tetanus protection and treatment of bacterial infections may also be required. “Importantly, do not wait for symptoms. Once clinical signs of rabies develop, the disease is almost invariably fatal. However, appropriate PEP administered promptly after exposure is highly effective at preventing the disease,” he said.
A Healthy-Looking Dog May Still Pose a Risk
Fiyinfolu said Nigerians should not assume that a dog is safe simply because it appears healthy after biting someone.
He identified several warning signs of rabies in dogs, including sudden aggression, unusual agitation, excessive salivation, difficulty swallowing, abnormal vocalisation and unexplained behavioural changes.
Other signs include restlessness, wandering, disorientation, weakness, incoordination, paralysis, difficulty eating or drinking and seizures.
However, he noted that rabies does not always cause aggressive behaviour. The disease can occur in furious and paralytic forms. A dog with paralytic rabies may instead appear weak, depressed or progressively paralysed.
On whether an apparently healthy dog can transmit rabies, Fiyinfolu said: “The important practical message is yes, a person should not assume that a dog is safe simply because it looks healthy immediately after the bite.”
He explained that rabies virus can be present in saliva before obvious clinical signs appear.
As a result, he said exposure should be assessed based on the circumstances rather than the animal’s appearance.
Where appropriate, a healthy dog that has bitten someone can be placed under professional observation for 10 days.
However, Fiyinfolu stressed that observation should not delay medical assessment or PEP when indicated, particularly in rabies-endemic areas.
Why 70% Dog Vaccination Coverage Matters
Fiyinfolu described dog vaccination as the most important intervention for breaking the transmission cycle between dogs and humans.
The World Health Organization recommends vaccinating at least 70 per cent of dogs in at-risk areas to interrupt rabies transmission.
Fiyinfolu said dog owners therefore have a critical role to play.
They should ensure their dogs receive rabies vaccination according to the recommended veterinary schedule and maintain booster vaccinations when advised.
Owners should also keep vaccination records and prevent dogs from roaming freely. They should seek veterinary attention if a vaccinated or unvaccinated dog bites someone or comes into contact with a potentially rabid animal.
Fiyinfolu also urged owners not to abandon unwanted dogs, warning that uncontrolled dog populations can contribute to transmission.
He advised parents and caregivers to teach children not to approach unfamiliar, stray or unusually behaving dogs. Rabies Surge Hits Nigeria as Cases Top 100 in Eight Months
Suspected rabies cases and unusual animal behaviour should also be reported to veterinary authorities. “It is also important to understand that vaccinating individual dogs is not enough if overall community coverage remains low. The objective is population-level immunity. The World Health Organization’s 70 per cent target is therefore extremely important for Nigeria’s elimination strategy,” he added.
Can Nigeria Eliminate Rabies by 2030?
Fiyinfolu said Nigeria’s 2030 rabies elimination target is achievable in principle, but warned that major gaps must be addressed.
He said Nigeria needs sustained mass dog vaccination campaigns capable of reaching at least 70 per cent of the dog population in transmission areas.
He stressed that vaccination must go beyond sporadic campaigns.
A Nigerian assessment estimated that about 9.1 million dogs would need to be vaccinated annually to achieve sufficient population immunity based on the estimated dog population.
However, vaccination alone will not be enough. Fiyinfolu said Nigeria also needs rapid and affordable access to human PEP, stronger surveillance and laboratory diagnosis, responsible dog ownership and better management of free-roaming animals.
He also called for wider public education on avoiding unnecessary contact with unfamiliar animals, immediate wound washing and seeking medical care without delay.
Funding, Surveillance Key to Rabies Elimination
Fiyinfolu said genuine One Health coordination will also be essential to achieving the 2030 goal.
This requires sustained collaboration between veterinary and human health services, laboratories, local governments and communities. “The evidence from Nigeria’s rabies-control literature is quite clear that insufficient funding, weak surveillance, inadequate PEP availability, limited dog population data and inconsistent implementation remain major obstacles to achieving elimination,” he said.
With more than 100 cases recorded in the first eight months of 2026, the scale of the challenge underscores the need for sustained action.
For Nigeria to meet its 2030 target, experts say the focus must extend beyond responding to individual dog bites to achieving high population-level dog vaccination, improving access to PEP and strengthening surveillance across the country.
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Hope Ajayi 
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