The Nigerian government has approved the release of ₦32.88 billion under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) to strengthen primary healthcare services nationwide, as the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate declared that ongoing health sector reforms are beginning to produce measurable improvements in healthcare delivery across the country.
The approval was announced at the end of the 15th Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) Meeting on the BHCPF held on Friday, in Abuja, where government agencies, state health authorities, development partners, civil society organisations and other stakeholders reviewed progress under the National Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) and agreed on key measures to sustain the momentum.
Speaking after the meeting, Prof. Pate said the quarterly meeting reviewed progress, identified implementation challenges and took strategic decisions to advance the country’s health sector reforms.
“This is a quarterly meeting where we reviewed progress, looked at challenges and agreed on decisions on where we go next”, the minister said.
He noted that the reforms initiated under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration are beginning to produce visible results.
“We are beginning to see a lot of progress. That progress is thanks to the resources of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund”, he revealed.
Prof. Pate disclosed that although the BHCPF has disbursed ₦339 billion since its inception 12 years ago, about ₦235 billion of that amount was released within the last three years. He said this shows the intensification of efforts to expand primary healthcare under the present administration.
According to the minister, more than 8,000 primary healthcare centres across the country are already receiving direct facility financing every quarter, while over 3,000 facilities have been upgraded and nearly 1,000 others are undergoing revitalisation. He added that government plans to expand direct financing to 17,600 facilities, with allocations adjusted according to population size and disease burden to ensure greater equity.
Prof. Pate said the BHCPF continues to finance emergency medical services, health insurance for vulnerable Nigerians, disease surveillance and outbreak response.
He disclosed that more than 130,000 Nigerians have accessed emergency medical services through the programme, while 35 states have established emergency medical treatment structures.
On public health security, Mr. Pate said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has continued to strengthen outbreak surveillance and response, adding that additional BHCPF resources have been released to improve Nigeria’s preparedness against the Ebola Virus Disease.
“Even though Ebola is not in Nigeria, we approved disbursement to all the 36 states to enhance their preparedness,” he said.
Prof. Pate further revealed that preliminary findings from the 2026 Mini Demographic and Health Survey (Mini DHS) indicate improvements in antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, immunisation, contraceptive prevalence, child health and HIV services.
“We’re beginning to see data that shows progress in key outcomes at the population level. The purpose of the Mini DHS was to determine whether we are making progress, and we are glad to see that there is progress”, he said.
The minister also announced that health insurance coverage has expanded significantly.
He said “when this administration came, we had about 16 million people enrolled. Now we have 22 million. We have added more than six million people in the last three years, and that means we are making really good progress.”
He added that over 48,000 women have received free comprehensive emergency obstetric care, more than 4,700 women have benefited from free fistula repair surgeries across 207 health facilities, while over 2,900 newborns have received specialised neonatal healthcare services.
The committee also approved the inclusion of private sector representatives in the Ministerial Oversight Committee to strengthen stakeholder participation in health sector governance. It further directed the MOC Secretariat to communicate with all 36 states on their counterpart funding and equity fund obligations.
Presentations by BHCPF gateways, Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) Technical Working Groups and national programme managers highlighted progress in healthcare financing, service delivery and health system strengthening. Participants emphasised stronger accountability, improved coordination among implementing institutions, efficient resource utilisation and closer collaboration among government and development partners.
The meeting also reviewed Nigeria’s emergency preparedness architecture, including molecular diagnostic laboratories and isolation centres, to strengthen the country’s capacity to respond to disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies.
While acknowledging the progress recorded, Prof. Pate expressed concern over the migration of healthcare workers from primary healthcare facilities to higher-level hospitals in some parts of the country.
“Primary healthcare is the foundation of Nigeria’s health system. It is the responsibility of state and local governments, and we call on state governments to ensure there is adequate staffing for primary healthcare facilities”, he stated.
The minister, however, stressed that sustaining the gains recorded would require continued commitment from all stakeholders.
“The progress is fragile. It depends on our continued commitment—the Federal Government’s leadership, the states, our agencies and development partners. We will continue building on this effort so that Nigeria’s health outcomes continue to improve”, he enumerated.
The meeting reaffirmed the Nigerian government’s commitment to strengthening health sector governance, deepening accountability, improving coordination among stakeholders and accelerating reforms aimed at achieving Universal Health Coverage.
The Basic Health Care Provision Fund, established under the National Health Act of 2014, remains Nigeria’s flagship financing mechanism for expanding access to quality primary healthcare services, particularly for poor and vulnerable populations, while supporting the country’s drive towards Universal Health Coverage.