• Finance Minister, Edun says health budget rose by 60%, with Basic Health Care Fund doubling
• Federal Government targets ₦150bn to boost vaccine access and production
• Pate: Reforms aim to end overreliance on foreign aid, promote local manufacturing
The Federal Government is seeking to raise ₦150 billion to fund vaccine procurement for 2025 and 2026, according to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr Wale Edun.
Speaking at the 2025 Joint Annual Review of the Health Sector held in Abuja, themed “All Hands, One Mission: Bringing the Nigerian Health Sector to Light,” Edun said the government’s commitment to public health financing had deepened, with major increases in both budgetary allocation and performance targets.
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He disclosed that the health sector budget rose by nearly 60 percent, while the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) more than doubled from ₦131.5 billion in 2024 to almost ₦299 billion in 2026.
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“Similarly, with immunisation, we are actively seeking to raise additional funds, maybe around almost ₦150 billion to cover vaccine procurement that is needed for 2025 and 2026,” Edun said.
“Our commitment is to close the gap between appropriation and release of funds.”
The minister stressed that Nigeria must maximise domestic resource mobilisation, noting that global funding had become increasingly competitive and that state and local governments must complement federal initiatives by raising their own health and education spending.
On his part, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, said the government was working to reduce reliance on foreign aid, promote local production of medicines, vaccines, and health technologies, and ensure ward-based development at the grassroots level.
“We are exploring fiscal measures on sugar-sweetened beverages, public-private partnerships, and digital solutions that enhance transparency and accountability in the use of health funds,” Pate added.
“By combining domestic resources, local engagement, and measurable outcomes, Nigeria is steadily building a health system that is resilient, inclusive, and responsive to the people it serves.”
Both ministers reaffirmed that the 2025–2026 health financing agenda will focus on expanding vaccine access, supporting indigenous pharmaceutical innovation, and closing funding gaps that have historically undermined immunisation efforts.
