The federal government has released an additional ₦32.9 billion through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, an advancement of the BHCPF 2.0 reform agenda.

Oritseweyimi Ogbe, secretary of the Ministerial Oversight Committee, announced this during the 12th MOC meeting in Abuja.

This third disbursement for 2025, he said, aims to reinforce primary healthcare centres nationwide and improve accountability in how the funds are used at the community level.

Mr Ogbe noted that the National Health Insurance Authority Gateway is validating enrollee lists, while the National Primary Health Care Development Agency Gateway is scaling up the Direct Facility Financing initiative.

“As of Q2 2025, the BHCPF contributed 13 per cent to total health insurance coverage, with 21 states operational under the Emergency Medical Transport gateway for rapid medical response.

“Outpatient attendance in BHCPF-supported facilities increased by 1.4 million between Q1 and Q2 2025, marking a 28 per cent rise and demonstrating improved access to essential primary health services.

“Additionally, the number of deliveries conducted by skilled birth attendants increased by 18 per cent within the same period, reflecting the BHCPF’s growing impact on maternal and child health outcomes,” Mr Ogbe explained.

Mr Ogbe described the health minister’s official sign-off of the BHCPF 2.0 guideline as a major milestone, strengthening accountability, sustainability, and measurable results in fund utilisation.

“Electronic copies of the BHCPF 2.0 guideline will be disseminated nationwide, while State Oversight Committees are being onboarded with technical support from partners including BMGF, R4D, CHAI, and the Lafiya Project,” he said.

He said that the onboarding sessions would orient states on oversight responsibilities and promote integration of BHCPF implementation with the Sector-Wide Approach and National Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative.

Mr Ogbe said the redesigned fund includes a two-pronged accountability framework, self-assessment by gateways, and citizen-led monitoring through civil society organisations, to promote transparency and informed decision-making.

Mr Ogbe outlined the next steps to include SOC onboarding nationwide, full accountability framework implementation, domestication of BHCPF 2.0 guidelines, and state-level monitoring spot checks for compliance verification.

He said with sustained partner support and MOC oversight, BHCPF 2.0 is positioned to strengthen Nigeria’s health financing system, improve service delivery, and accelerate progress toward equitable and universal healthcare.

“Established under Section 11 of the National Health Act (2014), the BHCPF remains Nigeria’s flagship financing mechanism, providing essential health services and reducing citizens’ out-of-pocket expenditure nationwide,” Mr Ogbe said.

(NAN)