The Federal Government has disbursed ₦249.6 billion from the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) to improve primary healthcare delivery, expand health insurance coverage and increase access to essential medical services for vulnerable Nigerians.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, disclosed this in Abuja while presenting an account of the fund’s implementation and achievements under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Salako stated that the disbursement represented 77.1 per cent of the ₦323.6 billion released under the fund between 2019 when it was established and September 2026. He added that the Ministerial Oversight Committee approved an additional ₦40.7 billion in October to support healthcare delivery nationwide.
Established under the National Health Act 2014, the BHCPF was designed to provide essential healthcare services, especially for poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
To improve accountability, the government has introduced BHCPF Guideline 2.0, which emphasises direct funding of health facilities, performance-based disbursements and stronger financial monitoring.
On health insurance, the minister said that enrolment had risen from approximately 16.2 million people in 2023 to 23.06 million by the third quarter of 2026. More than 3.18 million vulnerable Nigerians, he said, have also been identified for health insurance coverage supported by the fund.
As the minister explained, the programme had supported free emergency Caesarean sections as well as treatment and rehabilitation for women living with vesicovaginal fistula, benefiting 96,068 women and babies.
Salako disclosed that 8,309 primary healthcare centres across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory were receiving direct funding, with plans to expand coverage to 13,512 facilities and eventually at least 17,600.
He said that the number of primary healthcare centres meeting Level 2 readiness requirements increased from 1,748 in 2024 to 3,202 in the third quarter of 2026. General attendance at the facilities, he also pointed out, rose from 34.55 million in 2023 to 43.06 million by the second quarter of 2026.
In emergency healthcare, the government has established operational structures across all states and the FCT. The minister said rural emergency transport services had reached 171 of 172 targeted local government areas, while 168,571 emergency ambulance services had been provided since 2023.
The fund has also supported disease surveillance and outbreak response for Lassa fever, cholera, diphtheria and mpox.
On healthcare staffing, Salako said 78,054 frontline health workers had been retrained towards a target of 120,000. The oversight committee had also approved phased salary support for 13,800 community-based health workers and scheme personnel.
He urged state governments to strengthen counterpart funding, improve oversight and develop sustainable arrangements for employing healthcare workers. He cited Katsina State’s release of ₦240.79 million to its health insurance agency as an example of state participation.
Salako further disclosed that the Federal Government was working with the National Assembly to increase the fund’s statutory allocation from one per cent to two per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund to strengthen domestic healthcare financing.
He said sustained collaboration between federal and state governments was essential to ensuring that Nigerians, particularly vulnerable groups, could access essential healthcare without facing financial hardship.
