By Peter.
Federal Government Injects N68bn for Vaccines, Clears N50bn Health Workers’ Arrears
At the 66th National Council on Health in Calabar, Cross River State, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, announced two major financial boosts for Nigeria’s health sector:
- N68 billion has been released for vaccine financing and is already in the account of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). The Central Bank of Nigeria began processing the funds to UNICEF on Thursday.
- N50 billion has been deployed to clear outstanding arrears owed to health workers across the country.
Prof. Pate described the releases as concrete proof of the Tinubu administration’s commitment to prioritising health spending, thanking the Ministers of Finance and Budget & Economic Planning for fast-tracking the approvals.
Speaking under the theme “My health, my right: Accelerating universal health coverage through equity, resilience, and innovation”, the Minister urged states to mirror the federal effort by increasing their own health budgets.
He specifically called on every state to achieve at least a 1% increase in health allocation in 2026 compared to 2025, while the Federal Government is pushing for its own health budget share to rise to at least 6% (a 0.6% increase).
“Quality health is not cheap. You have to invest in it,” Pate emphasised, noting that the infrastructure and results are already beginning to show.
Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu, represented by Deputy Governor Peter Odey, reaffirmed that the National Council on Health remains the highest policy-making body on health in Nigeria and must drive the country closer to Universal Health Coverage through stronger primary healthcare, a sustainable workforce, and expanded health insurance.
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