The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on Nigeria to significantly scale up its health financing by allocating at least 20 per cent of its national budget to public health in order to strengthen resilience, reduce out-of-pocket spending, and improve service delivery.
Speaking at the National Health Financing Dialogue in Abuja on Thursday, WHO Regional Director for Africa, Prof. Mohamed Janabi, emphasized that sustainable healthcare financing remains the “backbone of resilient health systems.”
He warned that underinvestment continues to expose Nigerian households to catastrophic health costs, limit access to quality services, and weaken the country’s ability to respond to emergencies.
Currently, Nigeria’s public health expenditure is far below the 15 per cent benchmark agreed upon under the 2001 Abuja Declaration and reaffirmed in the 2013 Abuja+12 Declaration, where African leaders committed to prioritising healthcare in national budgets.
Nigeria spends only around 5–6 per cent of its national budget on health, leaving millions of citizens dependent on out-of-pocket payments, which account for more than 70 per cent of total health spending.
Janabi said that with over 223 million citizens, how Nigeria finances healthcare will determine not only the well-being of its population but also the economic future of the continent.
“Healthier populations are more productive, more resilient to shocks, and better positioned to drive inclusive growth. Increased investment in healthcare is not a cost; it is an investment in Nigeria’s future,” he stressed.
The WHO director commended Nigeria’s recent reforms, including the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act, and the expansion of state health insurance schemes.
He noted that equity and investment units, along with parliamentary engagement through the Legislative Network for Universal Health Coverage, serve as examples that can inspire other African nations.
Janabi further urged Nigerian policymakers to embrace evidence-based decision-making such as cost-effectiveness and equity analyses to ensure efficient and fair allocation of resources.
Also addressing the dialogue, Ambassador Amma Twum-Amoah, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development at the African Union Commission, underscored the urgent need for African nations to prioritize health security using their abundant resources.
She noted that robust health systems, anchored by the African Medicines Agency (AMA) and backed by effective regulatory frameworks, are essential to withstand future pandemics, climate shocks such as floods and droughts, and other public health crises.
“Nigeria has charted a bold path by approving $1.7 billion for the HOPE Projects aimed at strengthening governance, expanding primary healthcare, and improving nationwide service delivery. This reflects vision and courage,” Twum-Amoah said.
She urged Nigeria to sustain its leadership role, stressing that its progress would have a ripple effect across the continent.
Representing the Federal Government, Ms. Daju Kachollom, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, reiterated that the Tinubu administration is prioritizing healthcare as a strategic national and economic imperative.
She disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to issue a circular mandating all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to implement health insurance for their workforce.
“Mandatory health insurance is here to stay, and the Ministry will lead from the front to ensure compliance,” Kachollom stated.
The four-day national dialogue, themed “Reimagining the Future of Health Financing in Nigeria”, brought together policymakers, development partners, private sector players, insurers, academics, civil society, and the media.
Participants agreed on the urgent need to translate high-level commitments into actionable financing strategies, build stronger data-driven systems, and ensure long-term sustainability in Nigeria’s health sector.
Key discussions centered on:
Expanding prepayment and pooling mechanisms.
Reducing out-of-pocket expenses that push households into poverty.
Strengthening primary healthcare delivery.
Attracting private sector investment into health infrastructure.
Experts say that allocating 20 per cent of Nigeria’s budget to health could drastically improve access to essential services, reduce maternal and child mortality, and make the country more resilient to health and economic shocks.
Beyond health outcomes, stronger healthcare spending could also contribute to Nigeria’s economic transformation by enhancing productivity and human capital development.
As the dialogue concluded, stakeholders expressed optimism that the renewed focus on sustainable health financing would mark a turning point in Nigeria’s pursuit of universal health coverage.