The Federal Government of Nigeria has recruited more than 37,000 health workers into federal health institutions since 2023 and trained over 70,000 frontline health workers as part of ongoing reforms to strengthen Nigeria's healthcare system.
The government also said it had approved the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration to improve workforce planning, retain skilled personnel and promote ethical recruitment, while continuing investments in specialist training and workforce development.
The updates were contained in a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, which said the measures were part of efforts to address longstanding challenges in the health sector, including workforce shortages, weak infrastructure, inadequate healthcare financing, migration of skilled professionals and limited access to quality healthcare.
In the statement, the ministry said reforms under the revised Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF 2.0) were improving service delivery, accountability and financial protection at the primary healthcare level.
It said the Federal Government had approved ₦32.9 billion under the revised framework to support more than 8,300 Primary Health Care Centres, with expansion already underway to about 13,000 facilities across the country.
According to the ministry, the reforms have contributed to more than 80 million patient visits, while over 21 million vulnerable Nigerians have accessed healthcare through the Vulnerable Groups Health Insurance Fund.
Disease surveillance and outbreak preparedness had also been strengthened through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention's Gateway under the BHCPF, as part of efforts to bolster the country's health security system.
On access to medicines, the ministry said the government was expanding local pharmaceutical manufacturing through the Presidential Initiative to Unlock the Healthcare Value Chain to improve medicine security, increase local production and make essential medicines more affordable and readily available.
It added that the reform programme also includes investments in health infrastructure, maternal and newborn healthcare, emergency preparedness, digital health systems and stronger accountability across the sector.
The ministry further disclosed that, as of the 2025 Joint Annual Review, 84 per cent of the key performance indicators under the Presidential Health Sector Renewal Compact had been achieved, describing the milestone as evidence of steady progress in implementing the government's health sector reform agenda.
While acknowledging that Nigeria's health sector still faces significant challenges, the ministry said the government's focus remains on sustained reforms anchored on transparent implementation and measurable results.
"The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare remains committed to working with healthcare professionals, civil society, development partners, the private sector and all Nigerians to build a stronger, more equitable and more resilient health system," the statement said.
It added that the ministry's mandate remained to save lives, reduce the physical and financial burden of healthcare, and improve the health and wellbeing of Nigerians.
