FG approves ₦32.9bn to boost access to primary healthcare

The Federal Government has approved the release of ₦32.9 billion for the fourth quarter of 2025 under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), in a move aimed at strengthening and expanding access to quality primary healthcare services across the country.

The funds, scheduled for disbursement in January 2026 in line with the BHCPF 2.0 Guidelines, are expected to support the delivery of essential healthcare services nationwide. The government also approved the establishment of a Citizens’ Response Centre (CRC) to enhance accountability, transparency and citizen engagement within the health sector.

The approvals were announced at the 13th Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) meeting on the BHCPF, chaired by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate. The meeting was attended by the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Adekunle Salako; the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Ms. Daju Kachollom; state commissioners for health; heads of health agencies and other key stakeholders.

Reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s health system, the minister said the intervention was part of broader efforts to expand equitable access to affordable and quality healthcare and advance Universal Health Coverage through sustained reforms and effective oversight.

Explaining the decision to commence disbursement in January 2026, Kachollom said the timing would ensure orderly deployment of funds and improve predictability for health facilities, thereby reducing disruptions that often affect service delivery at the primary healthcare level.

She disclosed that even after the proposed release, about ₦21 billion would remain in the fund to address urgent needs as the system transitions towards monthly allocations. According to her, ongoing health sector reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration are already yielding positive results and would leave a lasting legacy.

Speaking at the meeting, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, said discussions revealed consistent improvements in service utilisation across the country, including increased attendance at primary health centres, improved immunisation coverage and higher uptake of essential services.

Aina noted that the fourth-quarter disbursement marked progress towards stabilising state-level funding and highlighted the first implementation of the BHCPF 2.0 guidelines. Under the new framework, funding will be allocated based on facility workload, with low-volume facilities receiving ₦600,000 per quarter and high-volume facilities ₦800,000, replacing the previous uniform allocation system.

He said the new approach would ensure that resources are deployed according to patient demand, enabling facilities to respond more effectively to community needs and reduce out-of-pocket healthcare costs.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, disclosed that enrolment in the national health insurance scheme had risen from about 20 million in June to 21 million, reflecting growing public confidence in the system.

Ohiri added that the BHCPF framework has improved transparency by clearly tracking the transfer of funds from the one per cent Consolidated Revenue Fund to states and local governments, while also serving as a platform for self-assessment and continuous improvement.

At the meeting, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) was formally admitted into the Ministerial Oversight Committee, strengthening local government participation in BHCPF implementation. Civil society organisations remain active members, while the newly approved Citizens’ Response Centre is expected to provide Nigerians with a platform to make enquiries, lodge complaints and give feedback on healthcare services supported by the BHCPF.