By Jennete Ugo Anya
The country’s health system is undergoing a steady restructuring as the federal government deepens reforms aimed at expanding access to care, strengthening the workforce, and widening financial protection for citizens. New data contained in the 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report indicates that the country recorded measurable progress across several areas of the health sector over the past year.
The recent report, released in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, presents a broad assessment of the government’s health reform programme under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Sector Wide Approach framework. According to the report, the reforms are designed to coordinate investments, improve governance, and reposition the healthcare system to deliver more reliable services.
One of the most visible gains highlighted in the report is the expansion of Nigeria’s frontline health workforce. The document states that more than 23,000 additional frontline health workers were trained in 2025, bringing the total number trained over the last two years to 78,146 personnel.
The report explains that this figure represents 65 percent of the federal government’s target of 120,000 health workers, a benchmark set to strengthen service delivery, particularly at primary healthcare centres where most Nigerians first access medical services.
According to the report, strengthening the workforce remains central to improving healthcare access across the country.
“The trained frontline health workers represent 65 percent of the federal government’s target of 120,000, with the aim of strengthening service delivery, particularly at primary healthcare facilities,” the report noted.
Beyond workforce expansion, the document also records progress in health insurance coverage, which is considered critical to reducing out of pocket spending on medical care. The report states that national health insurance coverage increased from 19.2 million Nigerians in 2024 to 21.7 million in 2025, representing about 13 percent of the population.
The report further reveals that the government secured presidential commitment for the full implementation of mandatory health insurance, a policy expected to significantly widen coverage over time.
Payment structures within the insurance system have also been adjusted to reflect current economic conditions. According to the report, capitation payments increased by 93 percent, while fee for service payments rose by 378 percent, a move intended to ensure sustainability of healthcare delivery.
Another major intervention highlighted in the report is the Basic Health Care Provision Fund 2.0, which was launched in October 2025 with strengthened fiduciary and operational mechanisms. The report notes that about 2.7 million Nigerians were enrolled under the programme by the fourth quarter of the year.
Maternal and newborn healthcare also featured prominently in the report’s assessment. The document indicates that the federal government entered into agreements with more than 200 health facilities to scale up access to Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) services targeted at poor and vulnerable women.
According to the report, these services reached 19,270 women nationwide, with 20,486 claims reimbursed to 186 health facilities, while 242 facilities were empanelled under the maternal health component of the programme.
The neonatal component of the initiative was also introduced in seven facilities across Kano and Lagos in September 2025, marking another step in expanding specialised care for newborns.
Emergency medical response systems have equally been strengthened. The report indicates that State Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance Systems responded to 26,431 maternal emergencies nationwide, while the Rural Emergency Services for Maternal and Newborn Transport initiative supported 34,331 pregnant women and newborns across 124 local government areas.
Disease prevention and control efforts also showed progress during the review period. According to the report, Nigeria commenced implementation of the malaria vaccine in Bayelsa and Kebbi states, a milestone in the country’s long running fight against malaria.
In the area of HIV treatment, the report states that treatment coverage remained above 87 percent, while viral suppression rates exceeded 95 percent, contributing to a continued decline in new infections.
Health security preparedness was another area addressed in the report. The federal government launched the second National Action Plan on Health Security, which integrates disease surveillance, immunisation, and veterinary services into a unified emergency response framework.
To support monitoring and accountability, the report states that the MSDAT digital platform was introduced to host interactive dashboards that track health system performance and service quality indicators across the country.
The government also took steps to strengthen local manufacturing capacity for health products. According to the report, tax waivers exceeding six billion naira were granted to 47 pharmaceutical manufacturers under the Presidential Executive Order on Health Products.
The document highlights the establishment of new facilities, including a Rapid Diagnostic Test factory by Codix Bio and a syringe manufacturing plant with a daily production capacity of 750,000 units. It also notes that 37 pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities are currently being upgraded to meet international Good Manufacturing Practice standards, while 38 percent of publicly procured medicines and health commodities are now sourced locally.
Efforts to curb the circulation of counterfeit medicines were also intensified. The report states that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control seized and destroyed over one trillion-naira worth of banned, expired, and substandard medical products in 2025.
Overall, the report positions these developments within the broader Health Sector Strategic Blueprint (2023 to 2027), which outlines the government’s reform priorities in governance, financing, service delivery, and pandemic preparedness.
According to the report, the strategy places strong emphasis on maternal and child health, immunisation, health insurance expansion, workforce development, strengthened supply chains, and improved emergency response systems.
Taken together, the findings contained in the 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report suggest that Nigeria’s health reforms are beginning to produce measurable outcomes. The next phase will test how effectively these gains can be sustained and expanded to reach millions of Nigerians who still face significant barriers to quality healthcare.
