- Minister Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate reported that only 15.06% of the 2024 capital budget for health was released, totaling N26.55 billion
- The 2025 health budget shows slight improvements, with N248.32 billion allocated for capital projects, aiming to enhance healthcare infrastructure
According to Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, the ministry only got 15.06 percent of the entire capital allotted to the industry in 2024.
During his 2025 budget defence presentation to the Senate and House of Representatives Joint Committee on Health on Friday, he made this statement.
According to him, the Ministry was given N233.656 for capital projects in the 2024 budget, of which N26.552 billion, or 15.06 percent, was released and used.
However, Prof. Pate told the committee that of the N57.393 billion obtained under the multilateral/bilateral loan for capital projects, the ministry had not yet received any benefits.
The minister reviewed the 2024 budget and reported that it was N242,141,830,564.51, which was divided into N7,476,463,610 for staff, N998,739,547 for overhead, and N233,656,627,407.51 for capital.
However, he stated that the 2025 budget predictions showed a little improvement to N10,361,373,890.69 for staff, N1,590,382,403 for overhead, and N248,316,907,133 for capital.
Nigeria’s health sector is driven by the medium-term Vision 20:2020 (National Development Plan 2021-2025 and the National Strategic Health Development Plan), the minister said.
He further explained that the main objective of the Constitution and the National Health Act is to guarantee the right to health for all Nigerians.
He noted that the 2016 National Health Policy provides an implementation framework to translate the provisions of the national health Act and Sustainable Development Goals into healthy and wellbeing for all Nigerians.
According to him, the universal health coverage is central to the goal of the national health policy which is to strengthen Nigeria’s health system, particularly the primary health care system to deliver quality, efficient, equitable, accessible, acceptable and comprehensive health care system to all Nigerians.
He explained further that the policies and strategies of the 2025 budget are derivable from the 2025-2027 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper which outlines the development priorities of the government.
The minister said, “The year 2025 proposed budget of the ministry was prepared using the budget preparation system on the GIFTS platform which is compatible with the National Development Plan 2021-2025 approach which demands justification and allocation of resources to projects and programmes in a given year based on needs and aligning with the policy of government, especially as encapsulated in the core objectives and execution priorities.
“The Federal Ministry of Health budget proposal for 2025 is based on the National Health Policy 2016 and are guided by the new Strategic Blueprint Initiative which are the health sector policy instruments for achieving the ministerial deliverables of the federal government and the global agenda of universal health coverage.
“The National Health Policy with the theme ‘Promoting the health of Nigerians to accelerate socio economic development’ provides the basis for the national strategic health development plan and the supporting framework for accelerated implementation of the national health act”.
Prof Pate informed the lawmakers that despite the challenges in the country, the health sector had improved saying that, government provided world class facilities in hospitals across the country, building health infrastructure and qualified manpower.
He said, “We have the required qualified manpower in the country and that is why other countries are looking for our medical personnel”.
He added that the Executive Order signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in June 2024 had helped in improved local drug production as many local manufacturers had been taking advantage of it to improve their facilities.