Rapid Assessment of COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage and Hesitancy Among Market Traders in Onitsha, Enugu, and Aba Commercial Hubs, South East Nigeria

Market traders in South East Nigeria represent a high-density, occupationally mobile population whose COVID-19 vaccination coverage and hesitancy patterns have important implications for both individual protection and community transmission dynamics in commercial hubs. This study rapidly assesses COVID-19 vaccination coverage and the determinants of vaccine hesitancy among traders in the Onitsha, Enugu, and Aba commercial markets. A cross-sectional survey design is applied to 450 traders (150 per site) recruited through cluster sampling from major trading zones at each site. Structured questionnaires capture vaccination status, verified by card review where possible, alongside measures of trust in government, misinformation exposure, perceived COVID-19 risk, social network influence, and access barriers to vaccination. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression are applied in SPSS. Available data from the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme 2022 mid-year review indicates sub-national vaccination coverage in South East states ranging from 8 to 15 percent, far below the national 70 percent target, with informal workers among the least covered groups. The 5C Psychological Antecedents of Vaccination model provides the analytical framework, examining confidence, complacency, constraints, calculation, and collective responsibility. Findings will inform South East zone vaccination programme managers on trader-targeted outreach strategies, trusted messenger approaches, and fixed-point vaccination site deployment. Keywords: COVID-19 vaccination, vaccine hesitancy, market traders, South East Nigeria, vaccination coverage.