The Federal Government has approved the release of ₦32.88 billion to states under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) to strengthen primary healthcare, emergency medical services, health insurance, and disease preparedness nationwide.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the disbursement after the quarterly meeting of the Expanded Ministerial Oversight Committee, which reviewed progress and challenges under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative.
According to Pate, the fund supports reforms under the Sector-Wide Approach and demonstrates the administration’s commitment to grassroots healthcare.
He noted that while ₦339 billion has been disbursed through the BHCPF in the past 12 years, ₦235 billion was released in just the last three years.
Key Highlights of the Announcement
Primary healthcare upgrades: Over 3,000 centres upgraded to Level Two status, with nearly 1,000 more undergoing revitalisation.
Direct facility financing: More than 8,000 centres now receive quarterly funds, with plans to expand to 17,600 facilities.
Emergency medical services: Over 130,000 Nigerians have benefited, with 35 states establishing EMS structures.
Disease preparedness: The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control continues to strengthen surveillance for cholera, Lassa fever, meningitis, and Ebola.
Maternal and child health: 48,000 women received free emergency obstetric care, 4,700 underwent fistula repair surgeries, and 2,900 newborns benefited from neonatal interventions.
Health insurance expansion: Enrolment has grown by six million in three years, reaching over 22 million Nigerians.Pate commended states that provide counterpart funding and urged others to meet their statutory contributions to sustain reforms.
He acknowledged challenges such as healthcare worker migration but reaffirmed the FG’s commitment to universal health coverage.
Preliminary findings from the 2026 Mini Demographic and Health Survey show improvements in antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, immunisation, and HIV interventions evidence that reforms are beginning to yield measurable health outcomes.
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