The Nigerian government has approved the disbursement of ₦32,880,443,906.25 for implementation, covering the third quarter of 2025. It also covers the amassed allocations for the month of April to June, 2025 and is expected to be disbursed by the end of August, 2025 or as soon as the funds are released by authorised bodies.
This is aimed at improving access to quality healthcare services across the country, as revealed by the country’s Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Adamu Pate, at the 11th Expanded Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) Meeting on the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), in Abuja, the country’s capital.
Prof. Pate on Monday said the move is part of the Health Sector Renewal Investment Programme.
He also said collaboration was pivotal among the state and local governments, including the federal government, development partners and all actors in the sector. “It has led to progress in delivery of accessible and affordable healthcare services to Nigerians”, the Minister alluded.
The 56 year old minister said developing Nigeria’s primary healthcare system requires shared responsibility, adding that it will be near impossible for one level of government to manage the health sector alone.
The MOC ratified two critical disbursement approvals to ensure seamless implementation of BHCPF in 2025.
The funds drawn from the first quarter of 2025, release towards the implementation of BHCPF activities for both the first and second quarters of the year, represents ₦16,440,221,953.00 allocated per quarter, in accordance with the provisions of the 2020 BHCPF Guidelines, to ensure continuity and effective use of available resources.
The Minister also said 37 million Nigerians have access to services, through the BHCPF, describing it “as a landmark achievement and testament to joint collaboration across all levels of government and stakeholders”.
On strengthening Nigeria’s primary healthcare delivery and advancing progress towards Universal Health Coverage, Prof. Pate said the federal government is commitment to timeliness and efficient financing.
In a statement released by the Knowledge, Management and Communications Officer, Jamilah Mohammed-Jantabo, had presentations made by stakeholding bodies, with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) revealing that over ₦74.8 billion has been disbursed since the Fund’s inception in 2019. As of Q2 2025, 2,649,221 beneficiaries have been enrolled under the BHCPF, with coverage across all 36 states and the FCT.
Director General of the NHIA, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri said the agency has scaled up total health insurance enrolment to 20,002,832 individuals, adding that the next steps include finalizing the BHCPF implementation protocol, orienting stakeholders on the new guidelines, accrediting facilities, verifying enrollee data, and developing a citizen engagement framework.
The Head of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina explained that 752 Programme Financial Management Officers (PFMOs) have been deployed, covering 98% of LGAs. To date, 6,512 of 8,354 BHCPF-supported PHCs have been visited, reflecting 78% active oversight, while 301 PHCs were revitalized in the last quarter, bringing the total to 1,163 completed facilities as of June 2025.
The National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee (NEMTC) shared that 25 states now have established EMS structures, with 13 states and the FCT operational, and 12 additional states onboarded. To date, 2,890 beneficiaries have received emergency medical treatment under the EMS gateway, underscoring the growing reach of timely, life-saving care.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) emphasized continued integration of disease surveillance and health security functions within BHCPF-supported PHC platforms to strengthen early warning systems and outbreak response at the community level.
The SWAp Secretariat provided updates on harmonized sector-wide planning, joint sector reviews, and enhanced M&E frameworks that are supporting greater coordination and accountability across health actors.
The EU–SARAH Project, officially launched in December 2024, highlighted progress in accountability, community engagement, and use of digital tools for service delivery tracking. Implemented activities include training on adolescent- and youth-friendly services, strengthening public financial management, and preparation for the rollout of the Safer Birth Bundle of Care (SBBC). Additional efforts include training on CEmONC and BEmONC, and enhancing Maternal Perinatal, Child Death Surveillance and Response (MPCDSR) implementation.
The Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) reported on its governance structure and key achievements made over the last 18 months. These include market shaping strategies for local manufactures, technology transfer agreements, localization of manufacturing for family planning commodities, a range of pipeline companies, MOUs with strategic partners, etc. Additionally, PVAC’s presentation included the Medical Relief Program and Medipool, Nigeria’s public-private-partnership group purchasing organization.
The Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) presented opportunities for synergy between Global Fund-supported programs and BHCPF priorities, particularly around integrated service delivery.
The 11th Expanded Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) meeting was aimed at reviewing the progress of the BHCPF implementation, strengthen its strategic direction, and advance ongoing reforms under the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp).