Key points

• N36 million health capital release equals 0.0165 percent

• N36 million health capital release blocks donor access.

• N36 million health capital release stalls 2025 projects.

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare received only N36 million out of the N218 billion appropriated for capital projects in 2025, according to the Coordinating Minister of Health, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, highlighting a funding gap that has stalled key programmes across the sector.

Presenting the ministry’s 2026 budget defence before the House Committee on Healthcare Services, Pate said the N36 million health capital release about 0.0165 percent of the approved allocation left the ministry unable to execute planned projects or draw down counterpart funds tied to donor-supported initiatives.

He attributed the shortfall to the cash planning system operated by the Office of the Accountant-General and delays in releasing Nigeria’s counterpart contributions, which prevented access to external financing.

N36 million health capital release stalls projects

Pate said the capital component of the 2025 budget suffered severe constraints, making meaningful implementation impossible. Lawmakers demanded greater transparency, with House Committee Chairman Amos Magaji requesting detailed documentation of donor inflows, disbursements and outcomes.

The N36 million health capital release reflects a broader pattern of weak budget execution. While health allocations have hovered between 4.7 percent and 5.75 percent of federal spending in recent years, well below the 15 percent target set under the 2001 Abuja Declaration, actual capital releases have also fallen short. In 2024, 15.06 percent of the ministry’s capital allocation was released, compared with 30 percent in 2023 and 45 percent in 2022.

Health advocates described the latest figure as alarming. The North East Health Awareness Forum called for an investigation into funding processes, warning that stalled capital spending threatens ongoing and future health interventions.

The capital release fuels scrutiny

Civil society groups and commentators questioned how appropriated funds were managed, urging clarification from fiscal authorities. Critics said chronic under-release undermines planning, donor confidence and infrastructure development.

Furthermore, investigators found that authorities largely stalled renovation plans for 8,000 primary healthcare centres. Officials also delayed donor-backed programmes involving Gavi, the Global Fund, and the World Bank by failing to release counterpart funds. The setbacks affected tertiary projects, including cancer centre expansion and the procurement of MRI and CT scanners.

The World Health Organization says governments must measure health spending commitments by actual disbursement rather than budgetary promises. Nigeria’s out-of-pocket health spending remains above 70 percent, far exceeding the recommended 15 and 20 percent benchmark.