…No Nigerian Should Choose Between Health and Survival.
By Mercy Gadia
The Federal Government has renewed its commitment to dismantling financial barriers to healthcare and expanding access to quality services for all Nigerians, as federal and state health leaders, alongside United Nations agencies, called for stronger financing, accountability and collaboration to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
At the 2025 World Universal Health Coverage Day celebration held in Abuja, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said the administration of President Bola Tinubu is determined to ensure that no Nigerian is forced to choose between seeking healthcare and meeting basic household needs.
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He stressed that health is not only a fundamental human right but also a critical driver of national productivity, security and economic growth, warning that countries that fail to invest adequately in healthcare ultimately undermine their own development prospects.
While acknowledging that global progress towards UHC remains slow and uneven, Pate said Nigeria has embarked on bold systemic reforms through the Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), launched in December 2023. According to him, the initiative has aligned federal, state and development partner efforts under a “one plan, one budget, one conversation” framework, aimed at reducing fragmentation, improving efficiency and strengthening accountability across the health system.
“Our goal is simple but profound: to ensure that healthcare is accessible, affordable and of quality for every Nigerian, regardless of location or income,” the minister said.
Speaking on behalf of states, Chairman of the Commissioners of Health Forum, Dr. Oyebanjo Filani, said Nigeria’s struggle with UHC mirrors a broader global challenge, compounded by shifting donor financing priorities. He explained that although donor funding represents only about eight to 12 per cent of health financing in Nigeria, it often supports critical interventions that governments historically underfunded, making the transition to domestic financing particularly delicate.
“As a country, we have taken ownership of these challenges,” Filani said, commending the coordinating minister’s leadership in ensuring that funding gaps are minimised and that external support aligns with national priorities. He added that state governments are conscious of their responsibility not only to expand access to quality healthcare but also to listen to citizens, respond to feedback and make necessary course corrections.
Representing the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Oluwatosin Kolade described Universal Health Coverage as a fundamental human right that underpins health, dignity and empowerment, particularly for women, children and vulnerable populations.
“Nigeria’s journey towards UHC is urgent and essential,” Kolade said, reaffirming UNFPA’s commitment to ending unmet family planning needs, preventable maternal deaths, gender-based violence and harmful practices. He called for stronger collaboration to ensure that health services are available, accessible, acceptable and of high quality, while eliminating the burden of unaffordable health costs.
He also commended the leadership of the coordinating minister and reiterated UNFPA’s resolve, alongside other UN agencies, to support Nigeria’s drive towards a healthier and more equitable future.
The World Health Organization (WHO), however, warned that unaffordable healthcare costs remain one of Africa’s most stubborn barriers to achieving UHC. In a message from the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Mohammed Janabi, delivered by the WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Pavel Ursu, the organisation noted that out-of-pocket payments continue to dominate health financing across many African countries.
WHO disclosed that in 2022 alone, more than 423 million people in Africa experienced financial hardship due to health spending, with hundreds of millions pushed further into poverty. Despite these challenges, the organisation acknowledged notable improvements in service coverage across maternal and child health, infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases between 2015 and 2022, underscoring the impact of sustained political commitment.
However, it cautioned that progress remains uneven, with women, children, older persons and rural communities continuing to bear a disproportionate burden of ill-health and financial hardship.
Stakeholders at the event called for sustained political will, increased domestic health financing and robust public accountability mechanisms to keep Nigeria on track towards achieving Universal Health Coverage and breaking the cycle of sickness driven by unaffordable healthcare costs.
This year’s World Universal Health Coverage Day was themed: “Unaffordable Health Costs: We Are Sick of It.”