23 dead in 2 weeks, 32,000 cases in Kano: Why diphtheria is still killing Nigerians despite being preventable

• Plateau records 23 suspected diphtheria deaths in just two weeks, with 143 suspected cases and nine patients currently receiving treatment in Jos.

• Kano’s outbreak shows the scale of Nigeria’s wider crisis, with 32,633 confirmed cases and 1,744 deaths recorded since the outbreak began.

• Low vaccination coverage, delayed treatment and shortages of diphtheria antitoxin are fuelling the risk, making the latest Plateau outbreak a serious warning for other states.

Twenty-three people have died from suspected diphtheria in Plateau State in just two weeks, with 143 suspected cases recorded.

The outbreak is concentrated in Jos North Local Government Area, and officials are working to prevent it from spreading to neighbouring areas.

Kano has also recorded more than 32,000 confirmed cases and over 1,700 deaths since the outbreak began. 

Diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable disease, so why does it continue to kill Nigerians yearly?

This is the bigger story behind Nigeria’s diphtheria outbreaks, from vaccination gaps and late hospital presentation to shortages of antitoxin and diagnostic supplies.

Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection caused by toxin-producing strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae. It commonly affects the nose and throat and can spread through respiratory droplets and close contact.

The bacteria can produce a toxin that damages body tissues and, in severe cases, can cause breathing difficulties, heart problems and nerve damage.

But the major reason the current outbreaks are so concerning is that diphtheria is vaccine-preventable.

Nigeria's resurgence therefore points not only to the disease itself but also to gaps in vaccination and the health system's ability to detect and treat cases quickly.

WHO reported that between January 1 and November 2, 2025, Nigeria recorded 12,150 suspected diphtheria cases, 8,587 confirmed cases and 884 deaths across 30 states. At the time, Nigeria had the highest reported number of diphtheria cases in the WHO African Region.

By July 2026, figures attributed to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention showed 65,759 suspected cases and 2,229 deaths since the outbreak began in 2022. 

READ MORE: Diphtheria outbreak in Nigeria: Here's all you need to know

Vaccination is at the centre of the problem. Nigeria has an estimated 2.2 million children who have never received a vaccine, according to UNICEF.

These zero-dose children are among those most vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases. Many live in communities where poverty, distance, insecurity or weak access to health services make routine immunisation difficult. 

Kano's experience shows the consequence of those gaps. The state's health authorities said 75.65% of confirmed diphtheria patients were either unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated, while only 24.35% were fully vaccinated. The state says it needs millions of vaccine doses for mass vaccination. 

But vaccination is only one part of the problem.

In Plateau, the health commissioner said authorities are dealing with shortages of diphtheria antitoxin, difficulties obtaining specialised materials needed to collect samples for laboratory confirmation and patients presenting late.

A child with what initially looks like an ordinary sore throat or fever may deteriorate as the infection progresses. Symptoms can include a sore throat, fever, swollen glands and, in serious cases, a thick grey coating in the throat and difficulty breathing or swallowing. 

By the time a severely ill patient reaches hospital, doctors may be fighting both the disease and the consequences of delayed treatment.

READ NEXT: NPHCDA says tetanus, diphtheria are threat to pregnant women's lives, recommends immunisation

The 23 deaths in Plateau serve as an indicator of what happens when immunity gaps, delayed presentation, shortages of essential medical supplies and weaknesses in disease surveillance meet in the same place.

Kano has already shown how large the problem can become. Plateau is now showing how quickly it can turn deadly.

While vaccination campaigns can bring cases down, they cannot permanently solve the problem if children continue to miss routine immunisation.

That is why the question Nigeria faces is bigger than how to stop the latest outbreak. It is whether the country can close the gaps that allow a vaccine-preventable disease to keep returning.