The Federal Government has reiterated its dedication to strengthening Nigeria’s health financing system as part of efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for all citizens.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, gave the assurance on Monday in Abuja during the National Health Financing Policy Dialogue. He described the forum as a vital platform for shaping the country’s future health financing strategies.
According to him, the dialogue demonstrates Nigeria’s determination to place citizens’ health at the forefront through innovative and sustainable funding mechanisms.
“Today, we are not just leading a conversation but a movement to translate commitments into actionable strategies and outcomes that will guide future policies and implementation,” Salako said.
The minister noted that the federal government has steadily increased its investments in health. He highlighted that the national health budget rose from ₦434 billion in 2018 to ₦1.6 trillion in 2021, with the 2024 allocation further raised to ₦2.4 trillion, representing 5.18 percent of the total federal budget.
He added that the National Assembly also approved an extra ₦300 billion to address external funding shortfalls, while state governments have equally scaled up their health sector allocations.
Salako pointed out that Nigeria’s total health expenditure as a share of GDP has grown from 3.4 percent in 2013 to 5.3 percent in 2024 — progress, though still below the desired benchmark.
He explained that key reforms such as the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act of 2022 and the establishment of the Vulnerable Group Fund were introduced to expand health insurance coverage and protect disadvantaged groups from catastrophic healthcare costs.
“Our target is to enroll at least four million Nigerians into the National Health Insurance Scheme by 2030 to provide financial protection from healthcare expenses, which currently make up nearly 70 percent of household spending,” he stated.
The minister also urged Nigeria to learn from countries like Ghana and Kenya, where strong political will, innovative financing, legal reforms, and decentralized implementation have improved health outcomes significantly.
He called on stakeholders to use the policy dialogue as a platform for exchanging ideas, adopting best practices, and building partnerships that will strengthen Nigeria’s journey toward universal health coverage.
“Our collective responsibility is to guarantee that every Nigerian has access to quality healthcare, sustainable jobs, and affordable health insurance,” he added.
The policy dialogue convened key stakeholders, including policymakers, development partners, civil society groups, commissioners of health, and other actors in the health sector, to chart a roadmap for sustainable health financing in Nigeria.