BUA Group, one of Africa’s largest conglomerates, says it has paid for 1 million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines for Nigeria through the AFREXIM Vaccine program in partnership with CACOVID.

According to a statement signed on Monday by the Group Head, Corporate Communications of BUA Group, O’tega Ogra, the vaccines will be distributed free to Nigerians at no cost.

He added that the vaccine which should be delivered by next week, adding that it will be the first delivery of Vaccines to Nigeria since the COVID-19 vaccines became available.

Speaking on this development, Philanthropist and Founder of BUA, Abdul Samad Rabiu thanked the President of the Afrexim Bank, Dr. Benedict Oramah for making the purchase possible and the Nigerian Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, for coordinating the process through the CACOVID Private Sector partnership.

He said: “BUA decided to secure these 1million vaccines by paying the full amount for the vaccines today because these vaccines became available only last week through AFREXIM.

“We expect the vaccines to be delivered within the next 14 days and hope priority will be given to our frontline workers who have committed their lives to manage the pandemic.”

“In addition to this, BUA is committing to purchase 5 million doses for Nigeria as soon as they become available through this same arrangement,” Mr Rabiu added.

This development effectively pushes Africa’s most populous nation to the front of the queue in vaccine procurement.