By Our Correspondent
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has recorded remarkable progress in Nigeria’s health sector in 2025, training over 23,000 new frontline health workers, raising the total trained over the past two years to 78,146.
These trained personnel account for 65% of the federal government’s target of 120,000 health workers, aimed at improving primary healthcare delivery nationwide.
According to the 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report, released in Abuja, the government’s Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and Sector-Wide Approach have coordinated health investments and systemic reforms to enhance service delivery.
The report also highlighted expansion in health insurance coverage, increasing from 19.2 million Nigerians in 2024 to 21.7 million in 2025—about 13% national coverage.
With full implementation of mandatory health insurance now backed by presidential commitment, the government increased capitation and fee-for-service payments by 93% and 378%, respectively, ensuring sustainable care.
Maternal and newborn health services have expanded through Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) programs, reaching 19,270 women across the country.
The Rural Emergency Services for Maternal and Newborn Transport initiative supported over 34,000 mothers and newborns, while emergency response services attended 26,431 maternal emergencies nationwide.
Nigeria also achieved milestones in disease prevention, rolling out the malaria vaccine in Bayelsa and Kebbi, maintaining HIV treatment coverage above 87% and viral suppression above 95%.
In addition, the second National Action Plan on Health Security integrated disease surveillance, immunization, and veterinary services into a unified emergency response system, supported by the MSDAT digital platform.
Local manufacturing of medical products received a boost through tax incentives worth over six billion Naira, with new facilities producing rapid diagnostic tests and syringes and upgrading 37 pharmaceutical plants to meet Good Manufacturing Practice standards.
Counterfeit drugs were combated with over one trillion Naira worth of banned products seized.
These reforms, part of the Health Sector Strategic Blueprint (2023–2027), focus on maternal and child health, immunization, workforce development, supply chain optimization, and pandemic preparedness—paving the way for a more resilient Nigerian health sector.
