Nigeria trained more than 23,000 additional frontline health workers in 2025, bringing the total number trained over the past two years to 78,146, according to a report released Saturday by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The figures were published in the 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report, released in Abuja. The report assesses progress under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Sector-Wide Approach, which coordinate health sector investments and reforms.
The newly trained workers represent 65% of the federal government’s target of 120,000 frontline personnel aimed at strengthening service delivery, particularly at primary health care facilities.
The report also highlighted progress in expanding financial protection through health insurance. Coverage increased from 19.2 million Nigerians in 2024 to 21.7 million in 2025, representing about 13% national coverage.
According to the report, the government secured a presidential commitment to fully implement mandatory health insurance. Capitation payments increased by 93%, while fee-for-service payments rose by 378% to reflect economic realities and support sustainable health care delivery.
The government also launched the Basic Health Care Provision Fund 2.0 in October 2025 with new fiduciary and operational reforms. By the fourth quarter, the program had enrolled about 2.7 million Nigerians.
On maternal and newborn health care, officials signed memorandums of understanding with more than 200 health facilities to expand access to Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care services for poor and vulnerable women.
The program reached 19,270 women nationwide, with 20,486 claims reimbursed to 186 facilities. A total of 242 facilities have been empaneled under the maternal health component.
A neonatal care component was also launched in seven facilities in Kano and Lagos in September 2025.
Emergency response services were strengthened through state emergency medical services and ambulance systems, which handled 26,431 maternal emergencies nationwide. The Rural Emergency Services for Maternal and Newborn Transport initiative also supported 34,331 pregnant women and newborns across 124 local government areas.
In disease prevention efforts, Nigeria began implementing the malaria vaccine in Bayelsa and Kebbi.
The report said HIV treatment coverage remained above 87%, with viral suppression exceeding 95%, contributing to a continued decline in new infections.
To strengthen health security, the federal government launched the second National Action Plan on Health Security. The plan integrates disease surveillance, immunization and veterinary services into a coordinated emergency response system.
A digital platform, MSDAT, was also introduced to host interactive dashboards that track health system performance and quality of care.
The report highlighted progress in local pharmaceutical manufacturing. More than 6 billion naira in tax waivers were granted under the Presidential Executive Order on Health Products, benefiting 47 pharmaceutical manufacturers.
New facilities include a rapid diagnostic test factory operated by Codix Bio and a syringe manufacturing plant capable of producing 750,000 units daily. In addition, 37 pharmaceutical facilities are being upgraded to meet international Good Manufacturing Practice standards.
The report said 38% of medicines and health commodities procured by the public sector are now sourced locally.
To address counterfeit and substandard medicines, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control seized and destroyed more than 1 trillion naira worth of banned, expired and fake medical products in 2025.
The report said the reforms form part of broader efforts under the Health Sector Strategic Blueprint (2023–2027), which focuses on improving governance, financing and service delivery across the health system. Priority areas include maternal and child health, immunization, health insurance expansion, workforce strengthening, supply chains and pandemic preparedness.
