The Federal Government through the Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed, says it is proposing to spend the sum of N396 billion for the COVID19 vaccination exercise across the country between the years of 2021 and 2022.

Zainab made the disclosure after the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting, which was presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday, March 31.

She further explained that the figure may significantly reduce as the Federal Government receives more donations of the vaccines from the private sector. She added that the Ministry of Health is working on details of the gap that the Federal Government will be required to fill in the vaccination exercise.

She also explains that the size of the proposed supplementary budget agreed by the executive and legislative arm is yet to be resolved, because the Ministry of Defence is yet to provide details of the military hardware requirement.

Ahmed had earlier in February said a supplementary budget will be needed to cover the cost of COVID-19 vaccinations, for which no provision was made in the 2021 finance bill adopted in December.

The Federal Government has said it plans to inoculate 40% of Nigeria’s population this year and another 30% in 2022.