By: Sunday Ameh
The Federal Government has announced plans to raise nearly $150 billion to fund vaccine procurement for 2025 and 2026 as part of renewed efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s health sector.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed this on Wednesday during the 2025 Joint Annual Review of the Health Sector held in Abuja. The event, themed “All Hands, One Mission: Bringing the Nigerian Health Sector to Light,” brought together top government officials, health stakeholders, and development partners to assess progress in the sector and align national health priorities.
Edun said the Tinubu administration had significantly increased budgetary allocations to health in the 2025 fiscal year, reflecting the government’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery and access.
“The health sector budget in 2025 rose by nearly 60 per cent, and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund has more than doubled from $31.5 billion in 2024 to nearly $299 billion in 2026,” he stated.
“We are also actively seeking to raise around $150 billion to cover vaccine procurement for 2025 and 2026.”
He added that health now accounts for about 5.2 per cent of the national budget, up from just over three per cent a few years ago — a sign that health has become a key priority under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The minister further emphasised the need for improved domestic resource mobilisation and urged state and local governments to increase their investments in health and education to complement federal efforts.
On his part, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, said the government is intensifying efforts to reduce reliance on foreign aid while boosting local production of medicines, vaccines, and health technologies.
Pate explained that the government’s goal is to empower subnational governments to invest more in critical sectors such as health, education, water, sanitation, and nutrition, consistent with the President’s ward-based development approach aimed at improving community wellbeing.
He also revealed that the Federal Government is exploring new financing strategies, including taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, public-private partnerships, and digital solutions to enhance transparency and accountability in health financing.
“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,” Pate said.
According to him, primary healthcare utilisation has increased significantly, rising from 10 million visits in early 2024 to 45 million visits in the second quarter of 2025.
He also noted that vaccination coverage for measles, rubella, and HPV had met or exceeded national targets, while nearly half of Nigerian women of reproductive age now use modern contraception — progress he described as evidence of the government’s renewed focus on results-driven reforms.
Pate further revealed that all 36 states and the FCT now have operational health plans aligned with the National Health Sector Strategic Blueprint, while 774 local government areas host National Health Fellows and Public Financial Management Officers, surpassing federal targets.
The Tinubu government’s renewed focus on the health sector, analysts say, is aimed at achieving universal health coverage and strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to respond to future health emergencies.
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