AdvoKC Faults Reps Over Delay in Health Funding Bill

The AdvoKC Foundation, a civil society organisation, has called on the House of Representatives to fast-track consideration of an amendment to the National Health Act seeking to increase federal funding for basic healthcare services.

The proposed amendment seeks to raise the statutory allocation to the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) from one per cent to two per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

The foundation said the bill had been passed by the Senate on April 23, 2026, but was still awaiting concurrence by the House of Representatives.

In a statement signed by its Communications Manager, Mr Luqman Adamu, the organisation urged the Speaker of the House, Mr Tajudeen Abbas, and other lawmakers to schedule the bill for consideration before the next recess.

The foundation’s Project Director, Mr Habib Sheidu, said the Senate had completed its part of the legislative process and called on the House to establish a clear timeline for consideration and harmonisation of the bill with the Senate.

He warned that further delays could prevent the proposed funding reform from being incorporated into the 2027 budget, potentially postponing improvements to healthcare services in communities that depend heavily on primary healthcare centres.

The BHCPF was established under Section 11 of the National Health Act, 2014, to support basic healthcare delivery. Its funding covers health insurance, essential medicines, primary healthcare facilities and emergency medical services.

Citing figures from a Federal Ministry of Health response to a Freedom of Information request, the foundation said the Federal Government disbursed N32.88 billion through the fund in the first half of 2025, with N16.44 billion released in each of the first two quarters.

The same response reportedly listed 1,164 beneficiary facilities as only partly functional, representing approximately one in every seven facilities on the list.

AdvoKC also recalled that concerns about the fund’s implementation had been raised in the House through a motion placed on the order paper on October 18, 2023.

The organisation said increasing the statutory allocation would provide a more predictable funding base for primary healthcare, but stressed that higher allocations alone would not resolve existing challenges without timely appropriation and release of funds.

It added that the proposed amendment could strengthen legislative oversight by providing a clearer benchmark for assessing the executive’s handling of healthcare funding.

The foundation noted that many Nigerians continued to pay directly for medical services, while primary healthcare centres remained the main source of care for residents in many communities.

It said it would sustain its advocacy for the bill’s passage by the House, presidential assent and eventual implementation, urging lawmakers to act before another adjournment.

The proposed amendment is part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s primary healthcare system and improve access to essential medical services, particularly for low-income and underserved populations.