The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) says it is implementing far-reaching reforms to improve access, functionality and accountability across Nigeria’s primary health care (PHC) system.
The reforms include the rollout of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) 2.0, large-scale facility revitalisation and digital workforce development.
Dr. Muyi Aina, Executive Director of NPHCDA, disclosed this while presenting a paper titled “Improving and Expanding PHC Functionality, Service Delivery and Quality of Care” at the 2025 Joint Annual Review of the Health Sector in Abuja.
Aina said the BHCPF 2.0 expansion had increased coverage from 8,309 to 13,521 PHC facilities nationwide, enabling quarterly disbursements of between ₦600,000 and ₦800,000 per facility based on patient volume.
He noted that the expansion was guided by equity and distance optimisation to ensure facilities were established in high-need and underserved locations.
“All 774 Performance and Financial Management Officers have been deployed across the country to strengthen accountability,” he said.
He added that the agency had deployed a digital performance and financial management application that tracks facility income, expenditures on commodities and staffing.
Aina said utilisation of key services—including immunisation, skilled delivery and antenatal care—had increased three- to four-fold, with more than 47 million service contacts projected per quarter in 2025.
He said the agency had revitalised 2,164 PHC facilities with improved infrastructure and equipment, including solar-powered water and sanitation systems, raising the number of fully functional “Level 2” PHCs from 10 per cent to 26 per cent.
He added that the agency had distributed essential medicines and maternal, newborn and reproductive health commodities to all 774 local government areas, including 110,000 Mama Kits to support safe deliveries.
On workforce strengthening, Aina said the agency had recruited 1,155 skilled health workers across five states, alongside 13,434 community health workers.
He noted that more than 70,000 frontline workers had transitioned from in-person to e-learning through 20 digitised modules, with content available in English, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and Pidgin English.
“The e-learning platform allows health workers to take courses at their own pace and earn credits for continuing professional development. This makes training more sustainable and less disruptive to service delivery,” he said.
Speaking on immunisation efforts, Aina said the intensified vaccination strategy had reached 160,300 zero-dose children, while 3.4 million children received polio vaccines. The Measles-Rubella campaign achieved 92 per cent coverage across 21 states.
He commended the collaboration with state governments, local councils and traditional leaders in driving progress under the PHC “One Roof” policy.
“The next phase is to double down on what is working, scale up interventions, strengthen accountability and accelerate results,” he added.
Aina reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to advancing equitable, efficient and people-centred primary health care services across Nigeria.
