Universities’ Scientists, under the aegis of COVID-19 Research Group, on Friday made the announcement on the vaccine.

Addressing a news conference on Friday at Adeleke University, Ede, in Osun, Dr Oladipo Kolawole, Leader of the team, said the vaccine was being developed locally in Africa for Africans, reports The Guardian Nigeria.

Kolawole, a Specialist in Medical Virology, Immunology and Bioinformatics, at Adeleke University, Ede, however, said the vaccine would also work for other continents when unveiled.

Kolawole was quoted as saying by the newspaper that after trying out some selected processes of vaccine development, the researchers had been able to choose the best potential vaccine candidates for the SARS-CoV-2 and had made the possible latent vaccine constructs.  

He said it will take 18 months for the vaccine to be available to the public.

Prof. Julius Oloke, the Head, Coordinating Unit of the Research Group and Vice-Chancellor of Precious Cornerstone University, Ibadan, said the vaccine was real.

He said, “It’s a pleasure that we have come together to produce a vaccine at a time that the world is in need of solution to a ravaging pandemic."

“It’s a proof that we are working and not folding our hands or looking away from the problem.

“The vaccine is real. We have validated it severally. It is targeted at Africans, but will also work for other races.

“It will work. It cannot be faked. This is a result of the determination. It took a lot of scientific efforts," he said.