In line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s charge for transparency, accountability and efficient use of public and partner resources, the Expanded Ministerial Oversight Committee for the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) met to review collective progress in strengthening Nigeria’s health system.
Together with the Hon. Minister of State, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, agency heads, State Health Commissioners, partners and civil society, participants reflected on the gains made under the NHSRII’s four pillars of governance, efficiency, value-chain optimization and health security.
Transformative Gains Under the NHSRII
Since its launch in 2023, the Initiative — implemented through a Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) — has aligned federal, state and partner investments around one goal: better health for Nigerians. The Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) remains its backbone, supporting essential services through the NHIA, NPHCDA, NEMTC and NCDC, alongside programmes like HOPE PHC, MAMII and IMPACT.
The results are encouraging. In the first two quarters of 2025, over 80 million visits were recorded at primary health facilities — four times more than in 2023. More than 21 million Nigerians are covered under health insurance, over 11,000 pregnant women have received emergency care, 15,000 benefitted from obstetric treatment, and more than 500,000 are enrolled in covered maternal care. Facility data show a 12 percent drop in maternal mortality.
Progress in Preventive Health
Preventive health outcomes have also improved. The integrated measles, rubella, polio and neglected tropical disease campaign targeting 106 million children has exceeded expectations in the northern states with 92% coverage for measles and rubella and strong results for polio and NTD interventions. These gains reflect the determination of governments, partners and frontline health workers to extend essential services to every community.
The ₦32.9 Billion Commitment
The government has launched the BHCPF Guideline 2.0, which institutionalizes performance-based financing and accountability and will guide the disbursement of ₦32.9 billion to states and facilities before the end of October. Supported facilities will expand from 8,800 to 13,000, with a pathway to 17,000 through the HOPE Programme. Facility allocations have increased from ₦300,750 to between ₦600,000 and ₦800,000 per quarter.
Evidence confirms that BHCPF-supported facilities outperform others across all major service indicators including immunization, skilled birth attendance and service utilization. To further safeguard accountability, a Joint Task Force (JTF) with the ICPC has been activated to monitor fund utilization at both facility and community levels, ensuring that public resources directly translate to improved services for Nigerians.
“It is your clinic’s money. It is your community’s chance. It is your country’s promise,” the Red Letter declares, urging Nigerians to join ward health committees, review spending plans, and demand transparency in healthcare delivery.
Strengthening Data Integrity and Emergency Response
Data accuracy and integrity remain central to reform. Instances of overreporting of maternal and child deaths are being addressed through improved verification systems, digital reporting and integration of National Identification Numbers (NINs) into health records, enabling the tracking of individual beneficiaries and ensuring that progress remains verifiable and equitable.
The National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) continues to grow, with over 11,000 emergency patients served in the last quarter, disbursing ₦470 million for care and operating in 150 LGAs. Nigerians can dial 112 in 30 states, with nationwide coverage expected by December 2025.
Looking Ahead
To validate the steady improvements being observed, a Mini-Demographic and Health Survey (Mini-DHS) will be conducted in 2026 to provide independent national data on maternal and child health outcomes and inform future planning. Civil society and the media remain vital partners in sustaining transparency and ensuring that community voices continue to shape implementation.
The Ministry has also issued a Red Letter, calling on every Nigerian to protect the health of the nation.
“Let this Red Letter reach every community, every ward, and every home. Let it remind us that the health of Nigeria lives in the hands of Nigerians.”
Under the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria’s health sector is redefining accountable governance — anchored on results, driven by integrity and inclusion, and turning reforms into real improvements in people’s lives.
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