The Nigerian government announced the Medical Relief Programme and expanded social health protection to improve affordability and access to healthcare, with ministers emphasizing funding and coverage progress.
According to BUSINESS DAY, the Nigerian government has announced the rollout of a Medical Relief Programme and expanded social health protection to ease the cost of healthcare for citizens. Muhammad Pate, coordinating minister of health and social welfare, revealed the plans on Wednesday during the Joint Annual Review Conference 2025.
“The findings are encouraging. The proportion of citizens who believe that government considers their views in health decision-making now stands at nearly half the population. However, citizens have clearly indicated that affordability remains a major concern. Access to services is improving, but affordability must improve further,” Pate said.
He highlighted improvements in health insurance coverage, which has risen from 6–7 percent two years ago to 12 percent today, attributing the increase to mandatory health insurance and the Vulnerable Groups Fund. “According to quality-adjusted DHIS-2 data, the percentage of deliveries attended by skilled birth attendants now exceeds 90 percent, a remarkable improvement given where we began,” Pate added.
Wale Edun, minister of finance, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to funding the sector, noting plans to raise nearly $150 billion for vaccine procurement in 2025 and 2026. “The appropriation is there. But the real challenge is closing the gap between budgeted funds and actual releases. We are committed to ensuring that health funding is fully operationalized and spent effectively,” Edun said.