The Zankli Research Centre of Bingham University, Karu, Nigeria, recently hosted stakeholders’ engagement meetings in Abuja, as part of implementing the INTRO-TB-VAX study funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and led by the University of California San Francisco USA and other partners from Johns Hopkins University (USA), and the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ).

The engagement meetings were held on the 10th and 11th June 2025 in Duste Alhaji under Bwari Area Council (BAC) and Nyanya under Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, respectively. The meetings brought together stakeholders from diverse communities and organisations including community leaders, religious groups, Secondary Schools administrators, healthcare workers, market union leaders, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Bar owners and other key public health experts. The INTRO-TB-VAX study is a global research initiative focused on identifying the most preferred, feasible and impactful TB vaccine implementation strategies for adults and adolescents in high TB burden countries. 

The Principal Investigator (PI) of the study, and Director of Zankli Research Centre, Assoc. Prof. John S. Bimba, in his opening remarks warmly welcomed participants and stressed the significance of the community engagement meeting in advancing TB research and improving health outcomes in Nigeria. He emphasized that the collaborative nature of the INTRO-TB-VAX study would play a crucial role in strengthening TB prevention efforts. “This research will not only benefit communities but will also provide valuable preliminary insights for the country at large,” he noted. He also highlighted that tuberculosis, despite being a long-standing public health challenge, has not received sufficient attention in terms of vaccine development and rollout. He stressed the need for evidence-based planning, explaining that once new vaccines become available, it will be essential to understand where and how they can be most effectively delivered.

He encouraged participants to engage actively, stating that their input would help shape decisions on TB vaccine delivery strategies, taking into account community preferences and feasibility. He added that the session is meant to be interactive, with strong focus on understanding community acceptability of the vaccine, even before it is introduced.

Also speaking at the meeting, the Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) and Director of Public Health, FCT, Dr. Dan Apagu Gadzama, emphasized that the study would provide valuable guidance to the Nigerian government in identifying priority areas for TB vaccine deployment once the vaccines are available. He highlighted the critical role of stakeholders in driving the success of such public health initiatives, stating that their active involvement is essential to making the goal of ending TB a reality in Nigeria.

The Post-Doctoral Research Associate (PDRA) of the study, Dr. Rejoice Helma Abimiku, stated the need for new TB vaccines, pointing out the limitations of the existing Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccine. While BCG provides partial protection in children under five, but its effectiveness significantly diminishes with age, and due to safety concerns, it is not usually recommended for people living with HIV. He also stated that the backdrop of Nigeria’s ongoing TB burden with global TB cases and mortality slowly rising since the COVID-19 pandemic, the urgency of preparing for new TB vaccine rollout strategies cannot be overemphasized. Without decisive action, projections show that by 2030, over 43 million people could develop TB globally, with a staggering 6.6 million deaths and an economic toll reaching $1 trillion. The INTRO-TB-VAX study, therefore, aims not only to accelerate vaccine readiness but to do so in ways that are strategic, community-driven, and evidence-based.

He provided an in-depth overview of the study’s design and goals. INTRO-TB-VAX is a mixed-methods study focusing on reaching high-risk populations through venue-based strategies. These methods are designed to capture the nuanced perspectives of individuals and stakeholders, particularly in relation to trust in vaccines, prior experiences with immunization, and the acceptability of various delivery mechanisms.

Dr. Abimiku emphasized the central role of community engagement, advocating for inclusive partnerships with those most affected by TB, as well as with local leaders, healthcare providers, religious institutions, and educational stakeholders. He highlighted, that while vaccines themselves are powerful tools, their life-saving potentials depend on effective delivery and public acceptance. With several new TB vaccines already in phase 3 trials, Nigeria must begin preparing systems and strategies to ensure rapid, equitable rollout when these vaccines become available. Every year of delay could result in preventable deaths and missed opportunities to curb the TB epidemic.

The stakeholder engagement meeting concluded with an engaging interactive group sessions in which stakeholders collaboratively proposed practical strategies and outlined actionable plans to support the successful implementation of the study in Nigeria.

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Office of the Vice-Chancellor 

Bingham University