The Federal Government has disbursed ₦32.88 billion under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) to strengthen primary healthcare services across Nigeria, in a move aimed at improving access to quality healthcare and advancing universal health coverage.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the development during the second-quarter 2025 BHCPF Ministerial Oversight Committee meeting in Abuja.

He said the intervention forms part of the government's commitment to revitalising the country's primary healthcare system and ensuring efficient delivery of essential health services. According to the minister, the funds have been released through the BHCPF 2.0 framework, a reformed financing model designed to improve transparency, accountability and performance in the management of primary healthcare resources.

Pate said the latest disbursement will support the provision of essential medicines, maternal and child healthcare services, immunisation programmes, emergency medical treatment, disease prevention initiatives and the strengthening of healthcare infrastructure at primary healthcare centres nationwide.

He explained that the reform also prioritises direct financing of eligible primary healthcare facilities, enabling them to respond more effectively to the healthcare needs of their communities while reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks in fund utilisation.

The minister noted that stricter monitoring and accountability mechanisms have been introduced under the BHCPF 2.0 initiative to ensure that the funds are properly managed and achieve measurable improvements in healthcare delivery.

He reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitment to building a resilient and people-centred healthcare system capable of providing affordable and quality healthcare services, particularly for women, children and other vulnerable groups.

The Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, established under the National Health Act, is one of Nigeria's key financing mechanisms for strengthening primary healthcare and expanding access to essential health services. The government said continued investment in the scheme is expected to improve health outcomes, reduce preventable deaths and ease pressure on secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities.

Health sector stakeholders have welcomed the latest funding, describing it as a significant step towards addressing longstanding challenges facing primary healthcare centres and improving service delivery across the country.