FG Targets 17,600 Health Facilities As Tinubu Era Accounts For 77% Of Fund Disbursements
Dr. Nafisat Makinɗe, Abuja
The Federal Government has disbursed ₦249.6 billion from the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in three years under President Bola Tinubu, representing 77.1% of the ₦323.6 billion disbursed since the fund was established in 2019. The government plans to expand direct financing to at least 17,600 primary health care facilities and extend health insurance coverage to about 90,000 inmates.
The figures were contained in a statement signed by Ado Bako, assistant director of information and public relations at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, following a ministerial briefing in Abuja on Wednesday. The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said total releases to the fund reached ₦422.3 billion as of September 2026, while an additional ₦40.76 billion approved in October is expected to raise cumulative disbursements to ₦364.3 billion.
Salako said direct financing currently supports 8,309 primary health care centres across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with another 5,212 facilities planned for inclusion. He added that the number of facilities meeting Level 2 readiness standards rose from 1,748 in 2024 to 3,202 in the third quarter of 2026, while primary health care attendance increased from 34.55 million in 2023 to 43.06 million by the second quarter of 2026.
National health insurance enrolment grew from approximately 16.2 million people in 2023 to 23.06 million in the third quarter of 2026. According to Salako, the fund supports insurance coverage for 3,182,943 vulnerable Nigerians with National Identification Numbers and has approved coverage for about 90,000 people in correctional facilities. It also supported emergency obstetric and newborn care interventions benefiting 96,068 women and babies.
The minister said emergency medical services had recorded 168,571 ambulance service episodes since 2023. Rural emergency transport services were operating in 171 of the 172 local government areas covered by the Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative, with expansion to 200 local government areas planned by December 2026. The government also reported training 78,054 frontline health workers towards a target of 120,000.
The fund’s oversight committee approved phased salary support for 13,800 community-based health workers and skilled birth attendants. Under the arrangement, the Federal Government will cover eligible salary costs in full during the first year, reduce its contribution to 67% in the second year and 33% in the third year, before state governments assume full responsibility. The committee also approved MEDIPOOL, a pooled procurement mechanism for essential medicines and health commodities, subject to quality and financial safeguards.
The government is seeking legislative approval to increase the fund’s statutory allocation from 1% to 2% of the Consolidated Revenue Fund and expand its scope to include health research and promotion. Salako urged state governments to meet their counterpart funding obligations and strengthen oversight of spending, while the ministry plans to work with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to monitor the use of public funds.