The federal government has announced a new push to increase domestic financing for healthcare, unveiling measures anchored on private sector partnerships, excise taxes, fiscal reforms, and expanded insurance coverage. Officials say the plan is aimed at easing the financial burden on citizens and moving the country closer to Universal Health Coverage.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, outlined the strategy at the close of a four-day National Health Financing Dialogue themed “Reimagining the Future of Health Financing in Nigeria.” He said the reforms are designed to mobilise new resources, strengthen accountability, and ensure health spending delivers better outcomes.
The renewed focus comes as international donors scale back support for HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria programmes, leaving gaps that decades of underfunding have worsened. Nigeria currently allocates less than 5% of its annual budget to health, far below the 15% pledged under the 2001 Abuja Declaration, while insurance coverage remains under 10%.
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Pate confirmed that the government is working to raise the Basic Health Care Provision Fund from 1% to 2% of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, with a bill to that effect headed to the National Assembly. The additional funds would be channelled into vaccines, essential medicines, and social protection.
He added that federal and state governments are weighing a mechanism to deduct counterpart funding for basic healthcare at source, ensuring local governments meet obligations and reducing shortfalls in key health programmes.
