Nigeria allocates ₦40.8 billion to health, insures inmates
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The Federal Government of Nigeria approved ₦40.76 billion (approximately $27.8 million) from the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) to improve primary healthcare and expand health insurance coverage across the country.
Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, announced the decision after a meeting of the Ministerial Oversight Committee. This allocation represents a ₦7.88 billion increase over the previous quarter, reflecting a growing commitment to healthcare funding.
The government plans to broaden the reach of the BHCPF by supporting 5,212 additional primary healthcare facilities, bringing the total to 13,521 nationwide. Funds will be distributed through four agencies: the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) will receive ₦19.87 billion, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) will receive ₦18.34 billion, the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) will receive ₦2.04 billion, and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) will receive ₦509.48 million.
In a move to widen healthcare access, the committee also approved extending health insurance to roughly 90,000 inmates in correctional facilities, working with the NHIA. The government is also working with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to monitor the use of these funds and prevent misuse, and has asked state governors for financial support to enable the NCDC to respond to disease outbreaks.
