Nigeria’s drive toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) has gained new momentum as the government unveiled a set of wide-ranging reforms under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) 2.0, aimed at transforming the country’s primary healthcare financing system through digital innovation, data integrity, and stronger governance.
The reforms were announced on Wednesday, at the 12th Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) Meeting of the country’s Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMOHSW), chaired by the Coordinating Minister, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The session brought together key stakeholders from state governments, international partners—including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the UK Government led Health Team — as well as civil society and the private sector, to review progress and chart the next phase of health sector renewal.
At the meeting, Prof. Pate unveiled the BHCPF 2.0 Revised Guideline, describing it as pivotal for improving accountability and service delivery in primary healthcare financing.
He announced that ₦32.9 billion has been approved for disbursement before the end of October 2025, marking the first phase of funding under the revised system.
Professor Pate said the revised BHCPF will channel resources more effectively to frontline facilities, covering essential operational needs, staff stipends, and emergency care.
“We are reforming the way health financing works—introducing clarity, transparency, and accountability from the federal level down to each community,” he said.
He also announced new governance measures, including Public Interest and Conflict of Interest Protocols and the creation of a joint monitoring task force with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to ensure that funds are used strictly for their intended purpose.
In a major push for digital integration, the Minister revealed that an end-to-end electronic platform will go live within two weeks for the National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee (NEMTC). The platform will streamline emergency response coordination, reporting, and fund tracking.
State Social Health Insurance Agencies (SSHIA) have also been directed to digitize their claims management systems and begin reporting progress by the next MOC session.
“These digital systems will close long-standing gaps in data accuracy and payment tracking.
“We are building a transparent ecosystem where decisions are driven by verified evidence”, Mr. Pate said.
He added that Data Quality Assessments (DQAs) will become a standard procedure across all health programmes, while states must submit verified beneficiary lists with National Identification Numbers (NINs) to the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) by December 2025.
Data presented at the meeting showed significant progress in healthcare access and outcomes. Nigeria recorded over 80 million visits to primary healthcare centres in the first half of 2025—four times higher than figures from two years ago.
More than 21 million citizens now receive services under the Vulnerable Groups Health Insurance Fund, while 15,000 women have benefitted from emergency obstetric care financed through health insurance schemes.
Facility-based data also revealed a 12% drop in maternal mortality and substantial improvements in immunisation coverage. The ongoing measles, rubella, and polio vaccination campaign has achieved 92% coverage in northern states—an unprecedented milestone.
The country’s Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said the results show that BHCPF-supported facilities outperform non-beneficiary centres across multiple indicators, from immunisation to skilled birth attendance.
“These outcomes prove that the BHCPF works, he revealed.
“We will work with the National Assembly and other partners to expand funding and coverage so that no Nigerian is left behind, the State Minister said.
Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker alluded that the integration of NIN-based identifiers has revolutionised traceability in healthcare.
“For the first time, we can verify exactly who receives care and where. This builds trust and ensures every naira delivers real value”, she said.
World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Nigeria commended the Ministry’s leadership for “embracing data transparency and inclusive decision-making”. Dr. Pavel Ursu also said Nigeria’s governance model under the BHCPF is examplary to other African countries pursuing health financing reform.
Dr. Ismaila Musa Jibrin, Chairman of the National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee (NEMTC), shared that over 11,000 emergency cases were managed in the last quarter alone. “₦322 million was paid to federal hospitals to cover the first 48 hours of care, while ₦154 million supported emergency transport through state services,” he said. The Rural Emergency Transport Scheme has now expanded to 150 local government areas, with plans to extend to conflict-affected zones.
Dr. Muyi Aina, Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), reported steady growth in service utilisation.
“Over 40 million PHC visits are now recorded quarterly—an indicator of rising confidence in the health system,” he said.
He confirmed that ₦14 billion was disbursed recently to 8,304 facilities, leading to sharp improvements in childhood vaccination and skilled birth attendance.
At the climax of the meeting, Professor Pate reaffirmed the government’s determination to deliver on the Renewed Hope Agenda through sustained health reforms, stronger partnerships, and transparent financing.
“Our focus is simple—every Nigerian, no matter where they live, must be able to access safe, affordable, and quality care.
“BHCPF 2.0 is not just a funding mechanism—it is a movement toward a more accountable, efficient, and equitable health system”, he said.
Dr. Simeon Onyemaechi, Managing Director of the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency, described the new direction as “a transformative leap toward a data-driven, accountable, and people-centred health system.”
Emphasizing the major resolutions from the meeting, the Secretary of the BHCPF Ministerial Oversight Committee, Dr. Ogbe Oritseweyimi, directed the National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee to develop and launch a digital platform within two weeks to improve the efficiency of emergency response and reporting processes.
Amongst resolutions from the 12th MOC meeting include the NEMTC initiating an end-to-end digital platform within two (2) weeks to enhance emergency response efficiency and reporting, and the SSHIAs to establish mechanisms for tracking claims processing within two (2) weeks and report progress at the next MOC meeting.
Also, the NCDC and states are to identify and document implementation bottlenecks, with the Coordinating Minister engaging with respective Governors to address these challenges.
States are to submit the list of beneficiaries and their National Identification Numbers (NIN) to NHIA by the end of December 2025.
The DHSS to collaborate with CMDs to ensure timely reporting of disease outbreaks through public health systems, with NCDC providing technical support.
The Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), established under the National Health Act (2014), serves as Nigeria’s principal vehicle for sustainable primary healthcare financing. It is designed to guarantee access to essential health services for all citizens, particularly the poor and vulnerable, through direct funding to health facilities and social health insurance coverage.