CODE Presents Findings on BHCPF Epidemic Preparedness Fund Mismanagement
Connected Development (CODE), a civil society organization, presented the results of an independent investigation into Nigeria's Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) on Thursday, July 9, in Abuja. The probe focused on the fund's epidemic preparedness component, revealing significant delays in disbursements, poor financial transparency, and weak accountability structures. The findings were unveiled at a national convening attended by officials from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), legislators, development partners, and civil society groups.
Adamawa State: ₦13.2 Million Left Unused for Four Years
In Adamawa state, CODE discovered that BHCPF allocations do not appear in official state budget records, making it impossible for legislators, auditors, or citizens to track whether funds arrived or how they were spent. The organization described these allocations as "officially invisible" within the state's financial reporting framework. The investigation further revealed that Adamawa received over ₦13.2 million for epidemic preparedness in 2021 and 2022, but the funds remained untouched until 2025 due to a prolonged ministerial review process. As of April 2026, the state had yet to receive any disbursement under the program's second phase.
Kano State Receives Only One Disbursement Since Gateway Launch
In Kano, CODE reported that the state had received only one quarterly disbursement of approximately ₦13 million since the BHCPF-NCDC Gateway was established. This is despite Kano allocating ₦1 billion to epidemic preparedness in its 2026 budget. The organization also identified an administrative bottleneck: whenever the office of the State Epidemiologist changes hands, access to federal allocations stalls because replacement signatories to the program's account are not approved promptly, as the State Epidemiologist serves as a mandatory signatory.
Ward Development Committees Sidelined, Audit Discrepancies Found
CODE noted that Ward Development Committees in Adamawa, which are statutorily responsible for overseeing primary healthcare funding, had either gone without inauguration for extended periods or been sidelined from financial decisions. An audit also uncovered discrepancies between listed account signatories and actual office holders across 29 primary healthcare facilities. On data access, CODE stated that no single institution holds comprehensive, publicly accessible records on BHCPF-NCDC Gateway disbursements, and neither real-time dashboards nor routine financial disclosures currently exist to support independent monitoring.
BHCPF-NCDC Gateway: Key Funding for Epidemic Preparedness
The BHCPF serves as Nigeria's primary domestic financing vehicle for basic healthcare, while the NCDC Gateway receives 1.25 percent of the fund's annual allocation to support disease surveillance, emergency operations centers, laboratories, and outbreak response. CODE said the Abuja convening aimed to place its findings before relevant authorities and secure formal responses for the public record. The organization gathered evidence through fieldwork in Kano and Adamawa states in April 2026, supplemented by Freedom of Information requests, budget analysis, and interviews with public health officials, community leaders, and other stakeholders.
