Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, has received first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, becoming the first Nigerian governor to do so.
The governor received his first jab of the vaccine late on Monday, March 8, 2021.
Ogun's deputy governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, and two frontline health care workers were also vaccinated to kick off the state's campaign.
"It is first service to self then people, when we take the vaccine because we must silence the virus," the governor said.
The governor appealed to Nigerians to make themselves available for the vaccine and follow all guidelines necessary to defeat the virus which has infected over 117 million people globally since December 2019.
Dr Cyprian Ngong became the first recipient of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Nigeria when he recceived the jab in Abuja, alongside three other health care workers, on Friday, March 5.
President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo were similarly vaccinated on Saturday, March 6, followed by top government officials and presidential aides days later.
The AstraZeneca vaccine, which arrived Nigeria last week, is administered in two doses taken weeks apart.
The vaccine has 63.09% efficacy and is suitable for low- and middle-income countries due to easy storage requirements.
Ogun was the first state to receive the vaccine when the government took delivery of 50,000 doses on Monday. Mass rollout in other states is expected to commence later this week.
Nigeria has recorded over 158,000 COVID-19 cases since February 2020, and the government hopes to vaccinate 70% of the population between now and next year.
