Nigeria must stop depending on foreign countries to fund its healthcare system, according to Dr. Salma Anas, the Special Adviser to the President on Health.
Speaking at the 9th Annual Health Conference of the Association of Nigerian Health Journalists (ANHeJ) in Abuja, Anas said donor support to Nigeria has dropped by about 15–20%, and the country will eventually graduate from many aid programmes. She described this as a clear warning that Nigeria must urgently develop its own domestic funding for health.
Anas explained that foreign donors currently support major programmes such as HIV, Tuberculosis, Malaria, Immunisation, and Primary Healthcare. A drop in these funds, she warned, could lead to drug shortages, service interruptions, and serious consequences for poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
She emphasised that a nation’s health system should be sustained by its own resources, not external goodwill, saying:
“The moment funding slows, lifesaving services break down, and vulnerable communities suffer.”
Anas praised President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, especially the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), which aims to strengthen primary healthcare, improve governance, support local production of medical supplies, and enhance health security.
A major part of this plan is the expansion of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) from 1% to 2% of the Consolidated Revenue Fund. According to her, this will double the financial resources available to provide essential health services for the poorest Nigerians.
She also highlighted other reforms, including:
Expanding mandatory health insurance under NHIA to cover 50 million more Nigerians
Increasing Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSB) taxes to fund treatment of non-communicable diseases
Boosting local production of medicines and vaccines
Reducing dependence on importation and limiting losses from medical tourism
Anas urged state governors to increase their health budgets and meet the Abuja Declaration target of 15%, noting that primary healthcare is mostly delivered at the state and local government levels.
Also speaking at the event, Ms. Grace Ike of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (FCT Council) said Nigeria must take responsibility for funding its own healthcare. She encouraged journalists to ensure accountability by tracking how health funds are used and educating the public about the importance of domestic financing.
She added that a strong and self-sufficient health system must be designed and funded by Nigerians, not by external forces.
