Dr. Cyprian Ngong, of the National Hospital, Abuja, has become the first person to receive the COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria, when he took the AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Friday.

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, flagged off the vaccination exercise.

Aside Dr. Ngong, other health care workers that received the AstraZeneca vaccine during the launch were Nurse Faith E. Eragbai, Dr. Nuru Joseph and Dr. Thairu Yunusa.

Meanwhile, President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo are expected to take their turns on Saturday.

This was disclosed by the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib.

Dr. Shuaib said this at the State House weekly briefing held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he had also confirmed that administering the 19 vaccine would begin on Friday.

Earlier in the day, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, cleared the AstraZeneca vaccine for usage.

The NPHCDA disclosed the clearance in a tweet: “After undergoing final assessment by NAFDAC, we have confirmation that they have concluded their final checks with positive results.

Nigeria can now go ahead and use the 3.924m doses of AstraZeneca vaccines which arrived Nigeria on Tuesday.