Senate moves to double basic health care fund to 2% of consolidated revenue

…Bill to amend National Health Act scales 2nd reading

By Henry Umoru, Abuja

The Senate has taken a large measurement toward strengthening Nigeria’s superior healthcare system, arsenic it connected Wednesday passed for 2nd speechmaking a measure seeking to summation the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) from 1 percent (1%) to 2 percent (2%) of the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the Federal Government.

The projected legislation, titled “A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Health Act, No. 8, 2014 to Increase the Basic Health Care Provision Fund from One Percent to Two Percent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund; and for Related Matters, 2025 (SB. 886)”, was sponsored by Senator Ipalibo Banigo (PDP, Rivers West).

The BHCPF, established nether Section 11 of the National Health Act, 2014, represents Nigeria’s archetypal statutory mechanics for sustainable wellness financing. It provides a guaranteed minimum bundle of wellness services to each Nigerians, peculiarly the mediocre and vulnerable.

Presiding implicit plenary, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the measure to the Senate Committee connected Health (Secondary and Tertiary) for further legislative enactment and directed it to study backmost wrong 4 weeks.

Leading the statement connected the wide principles of the bill, Senator Banigo said the amendment is constitutionally and morally justified, arsenic the information and payment of citizens stay the superior intent of government, successful enactment with Section 14(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

She noted that the existent 1% allocation has go inadequate to conscionable increasing wellness demands, particularly with the diminution successful donor enactment and Nigeria’s impending modulation from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which would summation the country’s fiscal work for immunization, maternal health, and illness control.

“With implicit 75% of wellness spending successful Nigeria inactive financed out-of-pocket, the 1% allocation has proven insufficient to conscionable nationalist needs,” she said. “Increasing the BHCPF to 2% is simply a strategical and timely involution that ensures sustainability and nationalist ownership of our wellness priorities.”

Banigo noted that the connection was endorsed astatine the National Dialogue connected Health Financing convened successful September 2025 by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), successful collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.

She stressed that the summation would fortify superior wellness facilities, heighten recruitment and retention of wellness workers, and warrant entree to indispensable medicines and services, peculiarly for women, children, and agrarian communities.

The Senator further outlined the expected benefits of the amendment, which include:

Strengthening superior healthcare systems and improving entree to quality, affordable care;

Reducing catastrophic out-of-pocket spending for Nigerian households;

Safeguarding immunization and indispensable services amid declining donor aid;

Enhancing epidemic preparedness and assemblage wellness resilience; and

Promoting economical productivity done a healthier workforce.

Banigo assured that the transparency model of the existing Act would beryllium maintained, with the Fund jointly administered by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the NHIA, alongside authorities and section governments. Annual reports and audited accounts would proceed to beryllium submitted to the National Assembly for oversight.

The station Senate moves to treble basal wellness attraction money to 2% of consolidated revenue appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.