The Federal Government has released an additional ₦32.9 billion through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) as part of the ongoing BHCPF 2.0 reform agenda aimed at improving Nigeria’s primary healthcare system.
Dr. Oritseweyimi Ogbe, Secretary of the Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC), announced the release during the committee’s 12th meeting held in Abuja.
According to Ogbe, this third disbursement for 2025 is intended to strengthen Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the country and enhance accountability in the use of funds at the community level.
He explained that the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Gateway is currently validating enrollee lists, while the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) Gateway is scaling up the Direct Facility Financing initiative.
“As of the second quarter of 2025, the BHCPF contributed 13 per cent to total health insurance coverage, with 21 states operational under the Emergency Medical Transport (EMT) gateway for rapid medical response,” he said.
Ogbe noted that outpatient attendance in BHCPF-supported facilities rose by 1.4 million between the first and second quarters of 2025 — a 28 per cent increase — showing improved access to essential primary health services.
He added that the number of deliveries conducted by skilled birth attendants also increased by 18 per cent within the same period, reflecting the fund’s growing impact on maternal and child health outcomes.
Ogbe described the Coordinating Minister of Health’s official sign-off of the BHCPF 2.0 Guideline as a major milestone that strengthens accountability, sustainability, and measurable results in fund utilisation.
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He said electronic copies of the new guideline would be circulated nationwide, while State Oversight Committees (SOCs) are being onboarded with technical support from partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Results for Development (R4D), Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), and the Lafiya Project.
Ogbe added that the onboarding sessions would orient states on their oversight roles and promote integration of BHCPF implementation with the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) and the National Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
He further explained that the redesigned fund features a two-pronged accountability framework — self-assessment by gateways and citizen-led monitoring through Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) — to promote transparency and data-driven decision-making.
“The data collected will form the BHCPF Accountability Index, published biannually to evaluate performance, strengthen internal processes, and track progress toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC),” Ogbe said.
He also disclosed that the Ministry of Health has deepened collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) through a Joint Task Team to ensure transparent fund monitoring and deterrence of misuse.
According to him, the ICPC partnership — established through an existing Memorandum of Understanding — will enable proper tracking of fund utilisation and uphold integrity across all BHCPF disbursement processes.
Ogbe outlined the next steps to include nationwide SOC onboarding, full implementation of the accountability framework, domestication of BHCPF 2.0 guidelines, and state-level monitoring spot checks for compliance verification.
He said that with sustained partner support and MOC oversight, BHCPF 2.0 is positioned to strengthen Nigeria’s health financing system, improve service delivery, and accelerate progress toward equitable and universal healthcare.
“Established under Section 11 of the National Health Act (2014), the BHCPF remains Nigeria’s flagship health financing mechanism, providing essential services and reducing citizens’ out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure nationwide,” he added.
It was reported that the 12th MOC meeting reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparency, results-driven implementation, and inclusive oversight to ensure that healthcare funding reaches facilities and positively impacts the lives of Nigerians.
