Nigeria's medical community has expressed strong disapproval of the federal government's proposed funding for the health sector in the 2026 budget, despite a nominal increase in allocation. The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has labelled the N2.1 trillion set aside for Health and Social Welfare as "simply unacceptable and grossly inadequate" for the nation's needs.
Budget Breakdown and Persistent Shortfall
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented a total appropriation bill of N58.18 trillion to the National Assembly in December 2025 for the 2026 fiscal year. Within this massive budget, the health sector's allocation of N2.1 trillion places it fourth among major sectors. It trails behind Works (N3.4 trillion), Defence (N3.2 trillion), and Education (N2.3 trillion), but exceeds allocations for Agriculture, Police Affairs, and Power.
However, this figure, while higher in absolute naira value than previous years, represents only about 4.2% to 4.3% of the total federal expenditure. This continues a long-standing trend of Nigeria failing to meet the commitment made by African Union leaders under the 2001 Abuja Declaration, which mandates that member states allocate at least 15% of their annual budget to improving the health sector.
NMA's Scathing Critique and Per Capita Reality
The NMA, through its Secretary-General, Dr. Benjamin Egbo, provided a stark perspective on what the funding means for ordinary Nigerians. The association calculated that the N2.48 trillion figure (a slight variation mentioned) translates to roughly N10,400 per citizen for the entire year. On a monthly basis, this equates to just about N870 per person to cover all health needs.
Dr. Egbo reiterated that this level of investment falls disastrously short of the Abuja Declaration benchmark and is insufficient to address the systemic challenges plaguing the sector. These challenges include:
- Critical shortages of medical equipment and essential medicines.
- Dilapidated and inadequate healthcare infrastructure.
- Excessively high out-of-pocket expenses for patients.
- The impact of reduced foreign aid for key programmes like HIV services and immunisation.
Government Response and Sectoral Priorities
In response to the criticism, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate, acknowledged the ongoing efforts to improve health financing. He noted that the government anticipated the 2026 allocation would move closer to 6% of the total budget, which would be the highest proportion ever recorded in Nigeria's history.
Professor Pate emphasised that the administration's strategy is centred on prioritising primary healthcare, hospital upgrades, cancer care, and services for vulnerable groups. The government had also allocated additional domestic resources in 2025 to mitigate the impact of cuts in foreign aid that previously supported vital health interventions.
Despite these assurances, health financing advocates argue that sustained underfunding critically undermines the system's capacity to meet the population's growing demands. The consistent allocation of less than 6% of the national budget to health, while sectors like defence and infrastructure receive significantly more, indicates that healthcare reform remains a secondary priority in Nigeria's fiscal planning.
