The Federal Government has approved the disbursement of N32 billion to primary healthcare facilities as part of ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s health sector.
- +FG approves N32 billion for primary healthcare facilities in Nigeria
This was disclosed by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, while addressing journalists on the sidelines of the 14th Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) meeting in Abuja.
This was disclosed by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, while addressing journalists on the sidelines of the 14th Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) meeting in Abuja.
The funds will be disbursed under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) to strengthen service delivery and improve access to essential healthcare services across the country.
The Minister of Health said the approval follows updated reform guidelines aimed at strengthening primary healthcare delivery across the country.
The minister disclosed that the reforms are already improving access to critical healthcare services, particularly for women and children, with the free fistula programme having reached over 4,000 women.
He added that reimbursement for neonatal care is also being introduced, as part of broader improvements in maternal and child health services.
Acting Secretary of the MOC Secretariat, Dr Aishatu Bajoga, said disbursements under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) have remained steady over the years, supported by budgetary allocations from 2018 to 2024.
According to Bajoga, access to healthcare is improving, with health insurance coverage reaching 21.7 million Nigerians by Q4 2025, with the BHCPF contributing about 13 per cent.
However, she pointed out that challenges such as delays in disbursement and human resource gaps persist, with efforts ongoing to address them.
Nigeria’s primary healthcare system remains significantly underperforming. Data reported by Nairametrics shows that less than 30% of Nigerians are satisfied with public healthcare services, reflecting widespread concerns about poor service delivery, infrastructure, and affordability.
To address these challenges, the government expanded funding under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), increasing supported facilities from 8,406 to 17,600 PHCs, while also raising quarterly allocations to improve service delivery
While thousands of primary healthcare centres exist across the country, many are either under-equipped or not fully functional, limiting access to quality care, especially in rural areas.
