In the first quarter of the fiscal year 2025, the Federal Government of Nigeria has authorised the distribution of ₦32.8 billion from the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) for primary healthcare initiatives. Important health organisations such as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (NEMSAS), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) will distribute the funds. A new set of BHCPF governance standards was also agreed by the government during the 10th meeting of the BHCPF Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC).
Enhancing the nation’s healthcare system is a priority for the government, according to Prof. Muhammad Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare. By enhancing emergency medical care and disease outbreak responses, strengthening emergency medical treatment, and supporting the Vulnerable Groups Fund, the allotted money will fortify more than 8,000 basic healthcare facilities around the country. Prevention, detection, and response to disease outbreaks are priorities, according to Prof. Pate, who emphasised the significance of health security. Additionally, he noted that healthcare institutions sponsored by BHCPF are outperforming those not, and he attributed these gains to healthcare reforms implemented over the previous 18 months.
BHCPF was created under Section 11 of the National Health Act of 2014.
But the minister admitted that creating accounts and getting signatories were cumbersome, which made it hard to get funding, especially for the NCDC and at the sub-national (state) level. He gave assurance that efforts are underway by the Federation’s Office of the Accountant General to eliminate these obstacles and guarantee prompt fund distribution. As a strategic endeavour to improve Nigeria’s primary healthcare system, the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) was created under Section 11 of the National Health Act of 2014. The BHCPF is funded by international donors and at least 1% of the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) with the goal of offering a Basic Minimum Package of Health Services (BMPHS).
Its goals include boosting health funding, bolstering the country’s health system, especially at the primary healthcare (PHC) level, and guaranteeing fair access to medical treatment, particularly for the underprivileged and disadvantaged. Nigeria’s Healthcare Industry has benefited financially from the BHCPF’s significant contributions since it began operations in 2019. Approximately 89 billion Naira was distributed under the fund between 2019 and 2022. In March 2024, an extra ₦25 billion was distributed across several states with the goal of providing worker incentives and direct facility finance.
About 2.6 million vulnerable Nigerians are now protected by the fund.
Furthermore, the BHCPF is now only benefiting 7,250 of the 35,514 primary healthcare centres in the country, despite these significant contributions, underscoring the need for wider coverage. The BHCPF has a noticeable effect on a number of healthcare indicators. Approximately 8,306 PHCs accessed the fund in 2024, up from 745 in 2019. Around 2.6 million vulnerable Nigerians are now protected by the fund as well, guaranteeing their access to necessary medical care without facing financial difficulties.
There are still issues, though, as Nigeria struggles with high rates of Maternal Death and other health indicators that need constant care. At the state level, insufficient accounting and reporting procedures have been blamed for fund disbursement delays. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and states have received ₦59.6 billion, or 46.6%, of the ₦128.6 billion released for the BHCPF since 2019. The need for increased accountability and transparency in fund utilisation was highlighted by the withholding of the remaining monies as a result of incorrect accounting for previously issued amounts.
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Additionally, the Nigerian government has laid out plans for securing long-term financing for healthcare after the first quarter of 2025. President Bola Tinubu presented the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), which intends to improve reproductive, maternity, and child health services as well as health outcomes through the primary healthcare system. In addition, the World Bank authorised a $1.57 billion funding package for Nigeria in September 2024, of which $570 million was designated for basic healthcare strengthening. This investment emphasises how important international collaborations are to supporting Nigeria’s healthcare system and its Sustainability over the long run.