Advocacy group, the Africa Health Budget Network, AHBN, has urged the federal government to show commitment to improving Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health, RMNCAEH, services in Nigeria by ensuring the full release and effective utilisation of approved health budgets for 2025.
The group also called for the release of 10% of the ₦60 billion Medical Relief Fund approved under the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Health Value Chain to strengthen the delivery of family planning and reproductive health services across the country.
The call is just as the Joint Annual Review, JAR, of the health sector is underway, to assess the progress of healthcare delivery in the country and chart fresh reforms to improve the subsector.
In a statement, Dr Aminu Magashi, Coordinator of AHBN, said the complete release of the 2025 approved family planning budget, including the US$4 million government counterpart funding earmarked to support the national family planning programme, will further reduce maternal and child deaths.
AHBN also appealed to the National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA, to implement the mandatory health insurance policy, to ensure that family planning services are included in the NHIA benefit package, as directed by the presidential executive order.
On adolescent health, the Network urged both Federal and State Governments to ensure the timely and full release of the 2025 adolescent health and well-being budgets at both national and subnational levels.
Dr Magashi commended the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare for the recent release of ₦32.9 billion in Direct Facility Financing (DFF) under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).
He, however, stressed the need for greater accountability, transparency, and strengthened monitoring to guarantee that the funds are used to achieve tangible improvement in health outcomes.
Highlighting the need for sustained funding for immunisation, AHBN urged the Nigerian government to fulfil its counterpart funding obligations to align with commitments made to Gavi and UNICEF.
It also called for the release of the ₦137 billion allocated for immunisation in 2024, of which only 25% has so far been released, and the ₦231 billion budgeted for 2025.
Meanwhile, the Joint Annual Review, JAR meeting, themed “All Hands, One Vision,” designed to audit the health sector, is expected to have the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, state commissioners, development partners, and the National Assembly in attendance.
Nigerian govt urged to prioritise funding, accountability as health sector review kicks off
