Nigeria Governors’ Forum says all the 36 states in Nigeria collectively increased their health budgets to ₦2.36 trillion in the 2025 fiscal year.

The forum’s chairman, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, disclosed this in his address at the third edition of the Primary HealthCare Leadership Challenge Awards Night in Abuja on Friday.

He said that the ₦2.36 trillion marked a significant rise from previous years, with 30 per cent of the annual budgets dedicated to primary health care.

Mr AbdulRazaq stated that the consistent progress seen through the PHC leadership challenge demonstrated that “when leadership is intentional and accountable, measurable and transformative change is possible”.

“Indeed, over the last three years, states have increased their budget allocations to health, resulting in significant infrastructural upgrades across PHC facilities and expanded recruitment of human resources for health.

“The combined health budget for the 36 states has grown from ₦831 billion in 2022 to ₦927 billion in 2023, ₦1.4 trillion in 2024 and ₦2.36 trillion in 2025—with 30 per cent of these annual budgets dedicated to PHC,” he said.

Mr AbdulRazaq noted that those investments were already yielding results, citing reductions in institutional maternal mortality across the states as an instance.

“The steady progress from the first to the second round—and now to the third—demonstrates clearly that when leadership is intentional and accountable, measurable and transformative change is possible,” he said.

The governor said that NGF had introduced a series of scorecards to track states’ commitments and promote accountability across key health initiatives.

He added that an expanded scorecard to track sub-national commitments to the Health Sector Renewal Compact would be released in 2026 to enable governors to transparently monitor and uphold the commitments they had made.

“Looking ahead, we reaffirm our dedication to the aspirations of the Seattle Declaration. The progress we have made through the PHC leadership challenge affirms that these commitments are not mere declarations but responsibilities we continue to pursue with diligence and focus,” he said.

This, according to him, is to ensure that every Nigerian, regardless of location or circumstance, have access to quality PHC.

He acknowledged the vital roles of partners, including the Gates Foundation, UNICEF, WHO, World Bank and others, in advancing PHC and Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria.

Muyi Aina, executive director of National Primary Health Care Development Agency, highlighted key progress from the collaboration with state governors.

Mr Aina disclosed that over 2,127 PHCs had been revitalised, with work ongoing in 1,671 others, and essential health commodities distributed to one PHC facility in all 774 LGAs.

He added that under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund Reforms, ₦52.5 billion had been disbursed across 8,309 PHCs since 2023, with ₦14.01 billion disbursed in the first half of 2025 alone.

In spite the progress, Mr Aina urged states yet to recruit skilled birth attendants and community-based health workers to expedite the process.

He called on governors to plan for the sustainability of the leadership challenge, as the crucial funding support from the Gates Foundation would be concluded in 2026.

“For sustainability, we humbly urge the governors to take ownership of the challenge by mobilising resources in partnership with other stakeholders to sustain this challenge,” he said.

He pledged the agency’s continued partnership to strengthen PHC system to ensure that every Nigerian had equitable access to quality PHC services through a trusted system.

While congratulating the states that emerged winners, Aina urged those that did not win awards this year to work harder, even as he enjoined those that won not to rest on their oars.

Nkata Chuku, deputy director of Health Systems Strengthening at the Gates Foundation, said the organisation remained fully aligned with the federal government’s determination to revitalise primary health care in Nigeria.

Mr Chuku disclosed that the foundation had invested $27 million over the past four years to fund the challenge initiative, recognising that the performance awards reflected the governors’ preference for peer accountability.

He urged the governors to sustain the leadership that had made the progress possible. 

(NAN)