The World Health Organisation has called on Nigeria to dedicate at least 20 per cent of its national budget to public health spending, stressing that such investment is crucial for building a resilient healthcare system.
WHO Regional Director, Prof. Mohamed Janabi, made the appeal on Thursday in Abuja during the National Health Financing Dialogue themed “Reimagining the Future of Health Financing in Nigeria.”
Janabi noted that sustainable healthcare financing is the “backbone of resilient health systems,” adding that increased government allocation would help reduce out-of-pocket payments, protect households from financial shocks, and strengthen insurance coverage across the country.
“With more than 223 million citizens, how Nigeria finances health is vital for the well-being of its people and the future of the continent,” he said.
“Healthier populations are more productive, more resilient to shocks, and better positioned to drive inclusive growth.”
He commended ongoing health reforms in Nigeria, including the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, the National Health Insurance Authority Act, and the rollout of state-level insurance schemes.
According to him, “Nigeria’s progress is encouraging, and its innovations such as equity and investment units and parliamentary engagement through the Legislative Network for Universal Health Coverage can serve as models for other African countries.”
Also speaking, Ambassador Amma Twum-Amoah, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development at the African Union Commission, urged African leaders to prioritise health security by leveraging the continent’s vast resources.
“Robust health systems, anchored by the African Medicines Agency and strengthened by effective regulatory frameworks, are essential if we are to withstand future pandemics, floods, and droughts,” she said.
Twum-Amoah further reminded participants of the 2001 Abuja Declaration and the 2013 Abuja+12 Declaration, in which African leaders committed to allocating at least 15 per cent of their budgets to health.
She described Nigeria’s approval of $1.7 billion for the HOPE Projects—aimed at strengthening governance, expanding primary healthcare, and improving service delivery nationwide—as “bold and visionary,” adding, “Nigeria’s leadership is critical, and we look to you not to disappoint Africa.”
On her part, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ms. Daju Kachollom, revealed that President Bola Tinubu had directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to issue a circular mandating all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to implement mandatory health insurance in line with the NHIA Act of 2022.
“You can be assured that the ministry will lead the charge from the front,” she said. “Mandatory health insurance is here to stay.”
The four-day dialogue, which concluded on Thursday, brought together policymakers, development partners, health financing experts, civil society, academia, and private sector stakeholders.
Participants agreed that evidence-based decision-making and coordinated action were essential to translate high-level commitments into sustainable health financing strategies.
