The Federal Government has unveiled plans to broaden the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, with the goal of doubling its current reach to cover at least 20 million Nigerians within the next year.
This was disclosed by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, on Thursday during the 66th National Council on Health meeting in Calabar, Cross River State, themed “My health, my right: Accelerating universal health coverage through equity, resilience, and innovation.”
This initiative is part of the government’s wider push to enhance primary healthcare services and speed up progress toward Universal Health Coverage nationwide.
The Basic Health Care Provision Fund serves as a key support mechanism for Nigeria’s health system by offering essential services, bolstering primary care structures, and providing emergency treatment resources.
The National Council on Health—Nigeria’s top policy-formulating body for the health sector—brings together federal and state health leaders to evaluate sectoral progress and determine new priorities.
According to Salako, the expanded coverage will prioritise pregnant women, children under five, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and citizens dealing with catastrophic health conditions or extreme poverty.
He urged council members: “May I use this opportunity to advocate to Council members to add their voices to the Basic Health Care Provisions Fund (BHCPF) scale-up and ensure an increase in BHCPF gateway coverage to achieve a doubling of the current coverage to at least 15-20 million persons in the next six to 12 months.
“As we scale this up, let the focus be on pregnant women, under-five children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, Nigerians battling with catastrophic health conditions, and those at the lowest rung of our socio-economic ladder. Equity, just as well as equality, should define how we prioritise access and scale up coverage. I also call for state-level basic healthcare funding ring-fenced by law to complement the BHCPF in line with the 2014 National Health Act.
“Government financing is not enough to close the investment gap in our health systems; it has become a matter of urgent imperative to focus more attention on Public-Private Partnership expansion. A strategic shift in improving access to care is to engage the private sector in managing a significant proportion of our health facilities through strategic purchasing of service delivery. This will also include implementing performance-based contracting for specialised services,” he said.
Salako stressed the importance of reassessing existing financing approaches and developing new innovative funding models.
He added that as Nigeria prepares to enforce new tax laws in January 2026, stakeholders should collaborate to expand funding for public health through mechanisms such as fuel taxes, sin taxes on tobacco and alcohol, levies on sugar-sweetened beverages, and the creation of a Diaspora Health Investment Bond aimed at generating $500 million for the sector.
He noted that the growing engagement of Nigerians in the diaspora under the President’s leadership offers an opportunity to mobilise additional resources.
Salako also highlighted the need to continue upgrading Primary Healthcare Centres to ensure at least one functional PHC in every ward. He emphasised that implementing task-shifting and task-sharing policies remains essential for improving service delivery, reducing waiting times, and enhancing patient experience.
Delivering a goodwill message, the WHO Representative and Head of Mission to Nigeria, Dr. Pavel Ursu, said the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework aligns closely with the council’s priorities. He described Universal Health Coverage as both a moral duty and a legal requirement.
He voiced strong support for the proposal to raise BHCPF funding from one per cent to two per cent of the consolidated revenue fund, calling it a critical step toward increasing domestic financing. He said: “We strongly support and second the suggestion to increase the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, and also as part of the consolidated revenue fund from one per cent to two per cent…”
Ursu added that while recent policy achievements are encouraging, significant challenges remain and require urgent action. He reiterated WHO’s commitment to supporting implementation, strengthening capacities, and improving monitoring frameworks to ensure accountability and impact.
In her closing remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Daju Kachollom, praised the meeting’s quality and outcomes.
“The conversations have been frank, the analysis rigorous, and the energy unmistakable… The agenda is set, the momentum is strong, the work ahead is clear,” she said.