By Muhammad Amaan
The Association of Nigeria Health Journalists (ANHeJ) has called on the Federal Government, state and local governments, civil society organisations (CSOs) and the media to step up efforts toward boosting domestic funding for Nigeria’s health sector in the face of dwindling foreign grants and aid.
The call was made at the end of ANHeJ’s 9th Annual Health Conference held last December, at the Blue Spring Hotel, Abuja. The conference was themed “Domestic Resource Mobilisation in the Face of Dwindling Foreign Grants and Aids.”
In a communiqué signed by ANHeJ President, Joseph Kadiri, and Secretary, Frank Ajufo, after the conference, the Association said the Federal Government bears the primary responsibility of providing leadership in mobilising sustainable funding for critical areas of healthcare, including immunisation, family planning, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and cancer research and treatment.
The association noted that while Nigeria has made notable progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 through policies such as the National Health Act and the operationalisation of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), current funding levels remain inadequate, especially given the sharp reduction in foreign donor support.
Participants at the conference included representatives of the Federal Ministry of Health, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Health Matters, the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN), NAFDAC, Roche, Pathfinder International, the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), Save the Children, and the Vaccine Network for Disease Control (VNDC).
Discussions at the conference highlighted several pressing issues, including cancer financing.
While funding for cancer reportedly increased from three per cent in 2023 to 5.2 per cent in 2025, stakeholders noted that the National Strategic Cancer Control Plan (2023–2027) estimates a requirement of about N97 billion (approximately $1 billion) annually to effectively tackle the disease.
On family planning, the conference identified a major funding gap, with Nigeria facing an estimated $27 million shortfall in 2025, as only $4 million was allocated for the year.
Maternal and newborn health financing was also flagged as an area requiring urgent attention.
Participants also reviewed funding for immunisation, noting that the Federal Government released N86 billion out of the N150 billion promised for immunisation in 2025, compared to the N231 billion initially captured in the budget. The balance, it was stated, is to be released in phases.
The malnutrition crisis was another key concern. According to UNICEF estimates cited at the conference, about 3.5 million Nigerian children are projected to suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in 2025, with the highest burden in the North-East and North-West regions.
As part of its call to action, ANHeJ urged the Executive and National Assembly to fast-track plans to increase the Consolidated Revenue Fund allocation to the BHCPF from one per cent to two per cent.
The association also called for a review of the Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSB) tax, recommending an upward adjustment from the current N10 per litre in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, and insisting that proceeds be dedicated strictly to health-related interventions.
