The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched a series of national health strategies and data tools aimed at improving planning, resource allocation, performance measurement, and service delivery across the country. The announcement follows the 2025 Health Sector–Wide Joint Annual Review (JAR), held from November 12 to 14 in Abuja, the nation’s annual forum for evaluating health sector performance and guiding budgeting and coordination at federal, state, and local levels.
The launch comes amid growing demand for better health outcomes, stronger data systems, and urgent reforms to enhance primary health care functionality and health security. According to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the new initiatives form an integrated ecosystem designed to strengthen data quality, visibility, and coordination. Key tools and strategies include the Health Sector Strategic Blueprint, National Health Facility Registry, National Health Management Information System Assessment, Multi-Source Data Analytics and Triangulation, and Larval Source Management.
Other initiatives introduced include the National Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care Facility Readiness Assessment Report, the Climate and Health National Adaptation Plan, the Second National Action Plan for Health Security, the Nigeria Collaborative Action Strategy under “One Plan. One Campaign. One Frontline,” and the Mini-DHS Framework for high-fidelity outcome measurement.
The three-day review, chaired by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, with the Minister of State for Health, Iziaq Salako, convened nearly 1,000 participants from federal and state governments, development partners, traditional and religious leaders, local government authorities, the private sector, civil society, academia, and media—a two-fold increase from last year. For the first time, state-level JARs preceded the national review, reflecting Nigeria’s commitment to the Health Sector Renewal and Investment Initiative (NHSRII) principles of One Plan, One Budget, One Report, and One Conversation.
Participants officially signed the UHC Compact Addendum, expanding engagement to private sector actors, traditional institutions, local governments, and other ministries. The meeting showcased digital tools, including the Basic Health Care Provision Fund digital platform, the national e-learning system for frontline health workers, PHC revitalisation dashboards, the SAVE MAMA maternal emergency service, and the National Health Insurance Act digital platform for claims management.
The review featured NHSRII Spotlight Sessions covering maternal and neonatal mortality reduction, improvements in PHC functionality and emergency referral systems, growth in social health insurance uptake, advancements in local manufacturing and pooled procurement, strengthened health security, and governance and financing transitions in preparation for evolving donor landscapes.
Resolutions for 2026 include operationalising the UHC Compact Addendum, adopting biometric verification across all primary health centres and health insurance platforms, full release of counterpart funding for vaccines, expanding health insurance coverage to five million Nigerians, transitioning at least 20 priority commodities to local manufacturing, and improving state and local government systems for readiness, accountability, and emergency response.
The government also committed to data-guided monitoring and funding allocation to optimise investments, particularly through the Nigeria Primary Health Care Provision Strengthening Programme (HOPE-PHC), aimed at enhancing frontline health service delivery nationwide.
