Abuja [Nigeria], March 6 (ANI/Sputnik): Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo received their first COVID-19 vaccine jabs on Saturday.

"Today, as a demonstration of leadership and faith in the safety and efficacy of the vaccines, the Vice President and I received our first jabs," Buhari said in a tweet.

The African nation launched its inoculation campaign on Friday and frontline health workers were first to receive vaccine shots. Nigeria received its first shipment of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines via the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility earlier in March.

The president also called on Nigerian citizens to get vaccinated and protect themselves from COVID-19.

Nigeria has reported a total of 158,000 COVID-19 cases and nearly 2,000 related deaths.(ANI/Sputnik)