FG to Disburse ?32.9bn to States, Health Facilities — Pate

The Federal Government will disburse ?32.9 billion to states and health facilities before the end of October 2025 under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), according to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate.

Pate made this known in a statement on Wednesday, following a meeting of the Expanded Ministerial Oversight Committee for the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).

He said the committee reviewed progress made in strengthening Nigeria’s health system in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive for transparency, accountability, and efficient use of public and partner resources.

“We launched the BHCPF Guideline 2.0, which institutionalizes performance-based financing and accountability and will guide the disbursement of ?32.9bn to states and facilities before the end of October,” Pate stated.

According to him, supported facilities will increase from 8,800 to 13,000, with a pathway to 17,000 under the HOPE Programme, while quarterly allocations per facility have been raised from ?300,750 to between ?600,000 and ?800,000.

He noted that BHCPF-supported facilities are already outperforming others in immunisation, skilled birth attendance, and general service utilisation. To enhance transparency, a Joint Task Force with ICP Nigeria has been activated to monitor fund use at both community and facility levels.

Major Health Sector Gains

Pate highlighted significant progress since the NHSRII was launched in 2023, including:

• 80 million visits to primary health facilities in the first half of 2025 — four times higher than in 2023.
• 21 million Nigerians now covered by health insurance.
• 11,000 pregnant women received emergency care, and 15,000 benefited from obstetric treatment.
• 500,000 women enrolled in covered maternal care.
• A 12% drop in maternal mortality based on facility data.

He added that preventive health efforts have also advanced, citing the integrated measles, rubella, polio, and neglected tropical disease (NTD) campaign, which achieved 92% coverage for measles and rubella in northern states.

The Minister disclosed that the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) served over 11,000 patients in the last quarter, disbursing ?470 million and operating in 150 LGAs. Nigerians in 30 states can now access emergency services by dialling 112, with full nationwide coverage expected by December 2025.

Pate said the government is also tackling data integrity issues, including overreporting of maternal and child deaths, through improved verification systems, digital reporting, and integration of the National Identification Number (NIN) into health records.

He announced that a Mini-Demographic and Health Survey (Mini-DHS) will be conducted in 2026 to independently assess national progress in maternal and child health outcomes.

“Under President Tinubu’s leadership, Nigeria’s health sector is redefining accountable governance — anchored on results, driven by integrity and inclusion, and turning reforms into real improvements in people’s lives,” Pate said.