The Federal Government says it is implementing strategic reforms to build a resilient, equitable, and sustainable health system capable of delivering quality healthcare across Nigeria.
The reforms are aimed at enhancing access to care, strengthening coordination, and providing greater protection for vulnerable Nigerians.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, made the disclosure on Thursday during the second day of the 2025 Joint Annual Review of Nigeria’s health sector in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Joint Annual Review provides a platform to evaluate progress, identify gaps, share lessons across states, and deepen accountability among stakeholders driving health sector improvements nationwide.
The 2025 theme, “All Hands One Mission: Bringing Nigeria’s Health Sector to Light,” highlights the sector’s resilience, the dedication of frontline health workers, and the collective commitment required to strengthen health outcomes.
Salako said the reforms under the Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative aim to accelerate Universal Health Coverage, enhance national health security, and ensure efficient, affordable, and equitable healthcare services.
He explained that the initiative rests on four core pillars—governance, financing, service delivery, and community participation—to transform how healthcare is planned, funded, implemented, and monitored across Nigeria’s diverse health system.
The minister noted that the Bola Tinubu administration is committed to reducing inequities by expanding health insurance coverage, revitalizing primary healthcare centres, and improving coordination among agencies implementing major health programmes.
“Health system resilience is not built overnight; it requires sustained investment, political will, technical excellence, community ownership, and accountability,” he said, acknowledging ongoing challenges while affirming unwavering commitment to sector-wide progress.
Salako disclosed measurable improvements in key health indicators from 2018 to 2023, despite financial constraints: maternal mortality declined from 576 to 512 deaths per 100,000 live births; under-five mortality dropped from 132 to 110 per 1,000; and skilled birth attendance rose from 43% to 53%.
He added that immunization coverage increased from 31% to 39%, while modern contraceptive prevalence among married women rose to 20%, reflecting incremental progress driven by improved service delivery.
The minister said the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) now operates at 78% absorption capacity and is being expanded to reach additional primary health facilities and vulnerable households nationwide.
He highlighted that the National Health Insurance Authority had scaled up enrollment to over 20 million Nigerians, with government support enabling state insurance agencies to broaden coverage.
Salako noted that the government prioritize health workforce expansion, recruiting over 37,000 health workers since 2023 and introducing incentives to reduce brain drain and improve retention in undeserved communities.
Other priorities include infrastructure upgrades, digital transformation, research capacity enhancement, and stronger supply chain systems to ensure steady availability of essential medicines, vaccines, and other critical health commodities.
“Over 500 infrastructure projects have been inaugurated, alongside the Power for Health initiative to provide uninterrupted electricity in public health facilities across multiple states,” he said.
He added that the National Digital Health Architecture is being implemented to harmonize data systems across ministries and agencies, supporting efficiency, transparency, accountability, and evidence-based planning.
Salako also highlighted improvements in surveillance systems, laboratory capacity, and epidemic preparedness to better detect, track, and respond to outbreaks, in line with the National Action Plan for Health Security.
He called for stronger participation from state and local governments, stressing that subnational ownership, coordination, and accountability remain essential for sustaining reforms and achieving Nigeria’s health sector goals.
The minister urged partners and donors to align support with national priorities, commending their contributions to maternal health, immunization, disease control, and community-level healthcare initiatives.
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, lauded states and partners for their support and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring no Nigerian suffers financial hardship in accessing essential or lifesaving healthcare services.
He emphasized that continued investment in health system resilience is vital for human capital development and national prosperity, stressing the administration’s determination to deliver lasting improvements across the healthcare landscape.
It was reported that the Joint Annual Review brought together policymakers, donors, civil society groups, professional bodies, and state health ministry representatives to assess sector performance and shape the roadmap for 2026.
