Nigeria’s health sector has recorded notable progress over the past three years, with the number of people enrolled in health insurance increasing from 16 million to 22 million, while the country’s healthcare system has risen to fourth position among African nations, according to the Federal Government.
The update was disclosed by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, following the 15th Expanded Ministerial Oversight Committee meeting on the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), which he co-chaired alongside the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, in Abuja.
The meeting assessed the implementation of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), being executed through the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), and reviewed strategies aimed at sustaining ongoing reforms across the country’s healthcare system. Brandspur Politics understands that the discussions also focused on strengthening primary healthcare delivery and improving access to essential health services nationwide.
According to the minister, Nigeria now ranks behind only South Africa, Tunisia and Kenya among African health systems, a development attributed to increased investments in primary healthcare, wider health insurance coverage and improvements in emergency medical services.
The Basic Healthcare Provision Fund remains one of the Federal Government’s flagship programmes for financing primary healthcare, with resources targeted at expanding access to quality health services, particularly for vulnerable and underserved communities.
The latest figures underscore the government’s continued efforts to strengthen healthcare financing, expand insurance coverage and improve service delivery as Nigeria pursues broader reforms designed to build a more resilient and accessible health system in 2026.
