By Nafisat Makinde
In a significant diplomatic stride, Nigeria has taken a leading role in global advocacy for domestic health financing at the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA78), which took place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening domestic health financing as a foundation for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) during a high-level sideline event at the assembly.
With current out-of-pocket spending on health at a staggering 72%, Nigeria is taking bold steps to reverse this trend. Dr. Salako highlighted that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has strategically directed the health ministry to implement comprehensive reforms that would guarantee sustainable and equitable health financing across the country. These reforms include the full implementation of the National Health Act (2014) and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act (2022).
According to Dr. Salako, health insurance coverage has increased by approximately 15% in the past two years, and all 36 states, including the Federal Capital Territory, have now established their own state health insurance agencies. These agencies are instrumental in expanding access to quality health services for the population, especially the most vulnerable.
The Minister stated that the government has operationalized the Vulnerable Group Fund and is in the process of establishing a Catastrophic Health Fund to cover high-cost conditions such as cancer and end-stage kidney failure. Additionally, new financing mechanisms are being introduced to diversify revenue streams for the health sector, including proposed levies on telecommunications services, sugar-sweetened beverages, tobacco, and alcohol.
Dr. Salako emphasized that Nigeria is not only focused on mobilizing more funds but also on spending smarter. The government is adopting a bottom-up budgeting approach, strengthening programme integration, leveraging digital health technologies, and improving tracking of expenditures via the National Health Accounts and resource mapping systems.
In a significant achievement, Nigeria sponsored a resolution at WHA78 calling on both developed and developing countries to increase domestic investment in health as a key pathway to UHC by 2030. The resolution also calls for systematic documentation of national health expenditures and stronger collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) in tracking and improving health financing globally.
The Nigerian government has responded to dwindling donor funds, announcing the allocation of an additional $200 million USD in domestic funds to sustain critical public health programmes, including immunization, malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS interventions. “This significant investment reaffirms our resolve to ensure no Nigerian is left behind in accessing essential health services,” Dr. Salako said. “We invite continued partnership, shared learning, and global cooperation to build a healthier, more equitable future for all.”
