FG Moves to Double Basic Healthcare Fund Allocation

The Federal Government is seeking to double funding for Nigeria’s Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) by increasing its statutory allocation from one per cent to two per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).

The proposal is aimed at strengthening primary healthcare services, expanding health insurance coverage and improving access to essential medical care, particularly for low-income households and vulnerable populations.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, disclosed the proposed increase on Wednesday during a ministerial briefing in Abuja on the fund’s implementation and achievements between 2023 and 2026.

He said the government had disbursed ₦249.6 billion to the fund over the past three years, representing 77.1 per cent of total disbursements under the programme since its establishment in 2019.

Salako explained that total disbursements since the fund’s inception stood at ₦323.6 billion, while the latest approved allocation of approximately ₦40.76 billion for the third quarter of 2026 would raise the cumulative figure to about ₦364 billion.

Established under the National Health Act, 2014, the BHCPF provides funding for essential health services through designated channels, including the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), emergency medical services and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

The proposed increase would provide additional resources for primary healthcare facilities, essential medicines, healthcare personnel and interventions designed to reduce the financial burden of medical treatment on households.

Salako said the administration was also working to improve transparency and accountability in the management of the fund, including the introduction of performance-linked disbursements and direct financing for healthcare facilities.

He noted that the government was collaborating with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to monitor health-sector spending and prevent the diversion or misuse of public funds.

The minister said the objective was to ensure that increased allocations translated into better services and measurable improvements in healthcare delivery.

The government has also approved plans to expand the number of primary healthcare facilities benefiting from the fund from 8,309 to 13,521 nationwide, adding 5,212 facilities across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The expansion is expected to improve access to essential services, especially in underserved communities, while strengthening routine healthcare and maternal and child health programmes.

In addition, the government has approved plans to extend health insurance coverage to approximately 90,000 inmates in correctional facilities nationwide through the NHIA.

The measures form part of broader efforts to expand financial protection, strengthen primary healthcare delivery and ensure vulnerable Nigerians can access essential medical services.

The proposal to increase the fund’s statutory allocation follows earlier legislative efforts to amend the National Health Act to raise the contribution from one per cent to two per cent of the CRF.

The proposed amendment is intended to provide a more sustainable domestic financing framework for primary healthcare and reduce reliance on external funding.

However, the increase remains a proposal requiring the relevant legislative process before it can take effect.

Salako said the government would continue working with state governments and other stakeholders to improve financing, expand service coverage and strengthen accountability across Nigeria’s healthcare system.