Federal Government Approves ₦32.88bn Health Fund For Reforms
Nigeria approves ₦32.88bn health funding to expand healthcare access, improve facilities and support nationwide health sector reforms.
The Federal Government has approved ₦32.88 billion to strengthen primary healthcare services and support ongoing health reforms nationwide.
The approval was announced after the 15th Expanded Ministerial Oversight Committee meeting on the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) held in Abuja. The meeting was chaired by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, alongside the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare.
The funding is part of efforts to improve primary healthcare in Nigeria and advance the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII). The committee also approved plans to include private sector representatives in the oversight structure and reminded all 36 states about their responsibility to provide counterpart funding.
Pate said the Basic Health Care Provision Fund has received increased attention under the current administration, with ₦339 billion disbursed over the past 12 years and ₦235 billion released within the last three years.
He explained that the investment has supported more than 8,000 healthcare centres across Nigeria, including facilities in the Federal Capital Territory, through direct financing, health insurance support, emergency services and disease control programmes.
The minister revealed that more than 130,000 emergency cases have been handled through BHCPF-funded services, while disease monitoring efforts continue for health threats such as cholera, Lassa fever and meningitis.
Pate also highlighted progress in healthcare infrastructure, noting that over 3,000 primary healthcare facilities have been upgraded, while nearly 1,000 more are receiving improvements. The government plans to expand direct facility financing to about 17,600 centres.
“We call on all state governments to co-fund the Basic Health Care Provision Fund. The 25 per cent contribution from states and the 15 per cent from local governments would increase available resources for primary healthcare by an additional 40 per cent on top of what the Federal Government is already providing,” he said.
The minister added that national health insurance coverage has increased from about 15 million beneficiaries to more than 22 million, while thousands of women and newborns have benefited from specialised medical programmes.
The Basic Health Care Provision Fund remains a key part of Nigeria’s healthcare reform strategy, but will stronger collaboration between federal, state and local governments deliver lasting improvements?
