The Nigerian government, led by President Bola Tinubu, is seeking to raise nearly $150 billion to finance vaccine procurement for 2025 and 2026, as part of a renewed investment drive in the country’s health sector. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed this on Wednesday at the 2025 Joint Annual Review of the Health Sector, themed “All Hands, One Mission: Bringing the Nigerian Health Sector to Light,” a key accountability platform for the sector.
Mr Edun highlighted the government’s commitment to prioritising health, noting that the sector’s budget for the 2025 fiscal year rose by nearly 60 per cent. He also pointed out that the Basic Health Care Provision Fund has more than doubled from $31.5 billion in 2024 to nearly $299 billion in 2026. He stated, “Similarly, with immunisation, we are actively seeking to raise additional funds, maybe around almost $150 billion, to cover vaccine procurement that is needed for 2025 and 2026.” The Minister also confirmed that the health budget is well over 5.2 per cent of the national budget, up from just over three per cent a couple of years ago.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate, said the federal government is intensifying efforts to reduce reliance on foreign aid and is promoting local solutions, including strengthening the domestic production of medicines, vaccines, and health technologies. Professor Pate noted that new financing strategies are being explored, such as fiscal measures on sugar-sweetened beverages, public-private partnerships, and digital solutions to enhance transparency in the use of health funds.
Professor Pate stated that primary healthcare utilisation rose significantly from 10 million visits in the first quarter of 2024 to 45 million in the second quarter of 2025, reflecting renewed public confidence. He added that vaccination coverage for measles, rubella, and the newly introduced HPV vaccine has met or exceeded national targets. Both Ministers urged state and local governments to increase spending on health and education to complement federal efforts, warning that reforms and funding would be ineffective without their participation.
