The Federal Government has disbursed ₦249.6 billion to the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) under President Bola Tinubu’s administration in the past three years, representing 77.1 per cent of the ₦323.6 billion disbursed since the fund was established in 2019.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during a ministerial press briefing marking three years of the fund’s implementation and reforms.
Salako, who is the Alternate Chairman of the Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) of the BHCPF, said the fund remained a critical instrument for strengthening primary healthcare delivery and expanding access to essential medical services, particularly for poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
The briefing was themed, “Three Years of BHCPF and Accelerated Domestic Health Financing in Nigeria.”
According to the minister, total releases to the fund stood at ₦422.3 billion as of September 2026, while cumulative disbursements amounted to ₦323.6 billion.
He said following the approval of an additional ₦40.76 billion at the MOC’s 16th meeting on October 14, cumulative disbursements were expected to rise to ₦364.3 billion, including ₦290.2 billion under the Tinubu administration.
Salako said the BHCPF was established under the National Health Act, 2014, to improve access to essential healthcare and reduce financial barriers for vulnerable populations.
He added that the fund had become central to implementing the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative launched by Tinubu in December 2023.
The minister said the introduction of the updated BHCPF Guidelines 2.0 had strengthened performance-based disbursements, direct financing of health facilities, accountability mechanisms and the use of unique beneficiary identifiers to improve transparency.
He also disclosed that the Federal Government was working with the National Assembly to increase the statutory allocation to the fund from one per cent to two per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund and expand its scope to cover areas such as health research and promotion.
₦40.76bn allocated to four health agencies
Providing details of the latest allocation, Salako said the approved ₦40.76 billion for the third quarter of 2026 would be shared among four implementing agencies.
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) would receive ₦19.87 billion, while the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) would get ₦18.34 billion.
The Emergency Medical Treatment gateway was allocated ₦2.04 billion, while the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) would receive ₦509.48 million.
He said the allocations were intended to expand health insurance coverage, strengthen primary healthcare services, improve emergency medical response and support disease surveillance and outbreak preparedness.
Salako noted that the administration’s commitment to domestic health financing was also reflected in increased budgetary provisions, adding that the 2025 federal health budget rose by nearly 60 per cent.
He said the 2026 Appropriation Bill proposed ₦2.48 trillion for health investment, representing approximately six per cent of the budget, excluding liabilities.
Health insurance enrolment rises to 23 million
On financial protection, the minister said national health insurance enrolment increased from approximately 16.2 million people in 2023 to 23.06 million by the third quarter of 2026.
He disclosed that BHCPF-supported insurance coverage included 3,182,943 vulnerable Nigerians with National Identification Numbers.
According to him, the fund had also supported free vesicovaginal fistula surgeries and rehabilitation, emergency caesarean sections and other emergency obstetric and newborn care interventions for 96,068 women and babies.
The MOC, he added, had approved health insurance coverage for approximately 90,000 Nigerians in correctional facilities to improve their access to essential healthcare services.
At the primary healthcare level, Salako said direct facility financing currently covered 8,309 primary healthcare centres across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He said the government planned to extend the programme to another 5,212 facilities, bringing the projected total to 13,521.
The number of facilities attaining Level 2 readiness also increased from 1,748 in 2024 to 3,202 in the third quarter of 2026, he added.
The minister further disclosed that general attendance at primary healthcare facilities rose from 34.55 million in 2023 to 43.06 million by the second quarter of 2026.
He said the fund had also contributed to increased deliveries attended by skilled birth attendants and improved uptake of the third dose of the pentavalent vaccine among eligible children.
168,571 emergency ambulance service episodes recorded
On emergency medical services, Salako said operational structures for urban emergency medical services had been established in all 36 states and the FCT.
He added that rural emergency transport services under the Rural Emergency Service and Maternal Transport initiative had been established in 171 of the 172 local government areas covered by the Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative.
The government, he said, planned to expand the services to 200 local government areas by December 2026.
According to the minister, the emergency response system had recorded 168,571 ambulance service episodes since 2023, covering obstetric emergencies, neonatal and under-five emergencies, road traffic injuries, snakebites, burns and other urgent medical conditions.
He also highlighted the role of the NCDC gateway in strengthening disease surveillance, preparedness and responses to public health threats.
However, he clarified that reported disease cases associated with response activities should not be interpreted as cases whose treatment was funded exclusively by the BHCPF.
FG approves salary support for 13,800 health workers
Salako said the Federal Government was also investing in health workforce development to improve service delivery and address staffing challenges in primary healthcare facilities.
He disclosed that 78,054 frontline health workers had been trained towards the national target of retraining 120,000 personnel, according to records presented at the June 2026 health sector review.
The MOC, he said, had approved a phased salary-support arrangement for 13,800 community-based health workers and skilled birth attendants.
Under the arrangement, the Federal Government, through the NPHCDA, would cover 100 per cent of eligible salary costs in the first year, 67 per cent in the second year and 33 per cent in the third year, before state governments assume full responsibility.
He explained that the programme would be subject to verification, accountability requirements and the gradual absorption of eligible personnel into state employment.
The minister also announced the approval of MEDIPOOL as a pooled procurement mechanism for essential medicines and health commodities under the BHCPF.
He said its implementation would be subject to quality assurance, price benchmarks, value-for-money safeguards and supply chain monitoring.
FG urges states to meet funding obligations
The minister urged state governments to fulfil their counterpart financing obligations, strengthen oversight and ensure sustainable funding for primary healthcare services.
He commended Katsina State for releasing ₦240.79 million to its State Health Insurance Agency to support expanded coverage, urging other states and the FCT to meet their responsibilities under the fund.
Salako reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to financial accountability through the implementation of BHCPF Guidelines 2.0 and collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
He said the measures would strengthen the monitoring of public funds, improve reporting, ensure proper retirement of advances and promote transparent payments to healthcare providers.
He stressed that funds released must reach health facilities and translate into measurable improvements in services available to patients.
Looking ahead, Salako said the government planned to expand direct financing to at least 17,600 health facilities and strengthen state-level commitments to the fund in line with the National Health Act.
He emphasised that the success of the BHCPF would ultimately be measured by its impact on vulnerable households, pregnant women, children and communities with limited access to essential healthcare.
The minister said the Federal Government remained committed to ensuring that increased domestic health financing translated into improved health outcomes, stronger primary healthcare services, effective emergency response and protection against unaffordable medical expenses.
He added that sustained collaboration among federal and state governments, healthcare institutions and development partners would be essential to achieving equitable and accessible healthcare for Nigerians.
