By our correspondant
The Federal Government, state governments, and international development partners have intensified efforts to end unaffordable healthcare in Nigeria, as stakeholders met to address rising medical costs, expand health insurance coverage, and improve access to quality health services nationwide.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this at the 2025 Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day celebration in Abuja.
He said the Tinubu administration is determined to ensure that no Nigerian is forced to choose between seeking healthcare and meeting basic household needs. Pate emphasized that health is both a fundamental human right and a critical driver of national productivity, security, and economic growth.
The minister noted that although global progress towards UHC remains challenging, Nigeria has embarked on bold systemic reforms under the Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), launched in December 2023. According to him, the initiative has unified federal, state, and development partner efforts under a “one-plan framework,” helping to reduce fragmentation and strengthen accountability.
Speaking on behalf of the states, Chairman of the Commissioners of Health Forum, Dr. Oyebanjo Filani, said Nigeria’s struggle with UHC reflects a broader global reality, worsened by shifts in donor financing. He explained that while donor support accounts for only about 8 to 12 percent of health financing in Nigeria, it often funds critical interventions that governments historically underfunded, making the transition particularly sensitive.
Representing the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Oluwatosin Kolade described UHC as a fundamental human right that underpins health, dignity, and empowerment. He said Nigeria’s journey towards UHC is both urgent and essential, particularly for women, children, and vulnerable populations. Kolade commended the leadership of the Coordinating Minister and reaffirmed UNFPA’s commitment, alongside other UN agencies, to supporting Nigeria’s drive towards a healthier and more equitable future.
Also speaking, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that unaffordable health costs remain one of Africa’s most stubborn barriers to UHC. In a message from WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Mohammed Janabi, delivered by WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Pavel Ursu, the organisation noted that out-of-pocket payments continue to dominate health financing in many African countries.
WHO disclosed that in 2022 alone, more than 423 million people in Africa faced financial hardship due to health spending, with hundreds of millions pushed deeper into poverty. Despite these challenges, the organisation highlighted encouraging gains in service coverage across maternal and child health, infectious diseases, and non-communicable diseases between 2015 and 2022, showing what sustained political commitment can achieve. However, it stressed that progress remains uneven, with women, children, older persons, and rural communities bearing the heaviest burden.
Stakeholders at the event urged sustained political will, increased domestic financing, and continued public accountability to ensure Nigeria stays on course toward achieving Universal Health Coverage and ending the cycle of sickness driven by unaffordable healthcare costs.
