The Federal Government has approved the release of N68 billion for vaccine financing and an additional N50 billion to clear outstanding arrears owed to health workers, marking a significant push toward revitalising Nigeria’s health sector.
The announcement was made by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, during the 66th National Council on Health meeting held in Calabar, Cross River State. The meeting, themed “My health, my right: Accelerating universal health coverage through equity, resilience, and innovation,” brought together key federal and state health leaders.
Prof. Pate disclosed that the N68bn vaccine fund has already been credited to the account of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, with the Central Bank of Nigeria set to process the payment to UNICEF.
He described the release as a “tangible demonstration” of the Federal Government’s increasing commitment to health investment, expressing gratitude to the Ministers of Finance and Budget for enabling the disbursements.
Pate further revealed that N50bn has been deployed to settle longstanding arrears owed to health workers, emphasising the need for states to emulate the federal approach by increasing and effectively deploying their own health budgets.
He stressed that achieving meaningful progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) requires sustained investment in primary healthcare, medical equipment, vaccines, and reproductive health commodities.
Last week, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, stated that the government aims to raise nearly N150bn to fund vaccine procurement for 2025 and 2026, reaffirming the commitment to bridging gaps between budget approvals and actual releases.
Prof. Pate urged all states to ensure at least a one per cent increase in their health sector allocations in the 2026 budget cycle, noting that Nigeria must continue to prioritise health spending to meet UHC targets.
Representing Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State, Deputy Governor Peter Odey reaffirmed the importance of the National Council on Health as the highest decision-making body for health matters. He called for sustained commitment to ensuring equitable healthcare access for all Nigerians, irrespective of socioeconomic status.
He emphasised that strengthening primary healthcare, building a resilient health workforce, and expanding social and health insurance schemes remain critical to advancing UHC nationwide.
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