FG Targets N4.55 Billion Investment to Bridge Primary Healthcare Staffing Deficit

The Federal Government has revealed plans to invest an estimated N4.55 billion over the next three years to address a critical shortage of 122,696 primary healthcare workers across 26 states. This recruitment drive aims to fill vacant positions within Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities nationwide.

Zaiyanatu Umar, who serves as the Human Resource for Health and Project Management Lead at the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) Coordination Office, shared this information on Friday in Abuja. Her disclosure came during the 15th Expanded Ministerial Oversight Committee meeting, which focuses on national healthcare implementation. Umar explained that this financial estimate was derived from a comprehensive analysis of baseline data provided by 26 verified states. These states self-reported their current staffing levels against the established Primary Health Care Minimum Staffing Standards as part of the SWAp recruitment assessment.

She stated, "The baseline data received from SWAp was based on the recruitment tool that was developed. This was majorly to push forth on the HOPE-GOV 5.2 Disbursement-Linked Indicator (DLI), which spoke around ensuring quality healthcare workforce and availability across the different levels."

The World Bank-backed HOPE-GOV Programme incentivizes states for enhancing governance, financial management, and service delivery across both Primary Health Care and basic education systems throughout the country. Specifically, Disbursement-Linked Indicator 5.2 mandates participating states to focus on the recruitment, mapping, and deployment of essential PHC personnel to underserved communities, thereby ensuring more equitable access to quality healthcare services in Nigeria.

Assessments conducted showed that while 220,755 PHC positions are required across the participating states, only 98,059 are currently filled. This leaves a significant gap of 122,696 vacancies that urgently need to be addressed to improve healthcare delivery nationwide. Umar further noted that participating states currently average 7.5 PHC workers per 10,000 population, with 55.6 percent of required staffing positions remaining unfilled across the surveyed facilities.

The South East region was identified as having the most severe staffing challenges, recording a 73 percent workforce gap and a mere 1.9 PHC workers per 10,000 population in its assessed facilities. The North West followed, with a 70.9 percent workforce gap and 5.8 workers per 10,000 population, while the South West reported a 59.3 percent staffing deficit. The North Central region showed a moderate workforce gap of 49.5 percent, with eight PHC workers available for every 10,000 population. The South South recorded a 46.8 percent staffing gap, and the North East had a 33.9 percent deficit, underscoring persistent shortages across Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Umar highlighted, "South East facilities are thinly staffed on every available measure, unlike the North where state and LGA payrolls add staff." She clarified that 13 states were excluded from these staffing gap calculations, and the Performance Management Task Team is currently finalizing a Human Resource for Health scorecard to enhance accountability and performance.

In related developments, Dr. Emuren Doubra, the National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee Coordinator, announced that N2.41 billion has been disbursed to states and federal tertiary health facilities since 2023 for emergency treatment interventions, benefiting over 130,000 patients. Additionally, the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System disbursed N1.49 billion to tertiary health facilities between January 2023 and May 2026. Doubra outlined third-quarter priorities, which include expanding emergency medical operations to all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, and increasing Rapid Emergency Services and Medical Ambulance Teams coverage from 139 to 172 Local Government Areas by year-end.

Dr. Ibrahim Tajudeen, Executive Director of the Country Coordinating Mechanism, informed the meeting that Nigeria has submitted its Global Fund Grant Cycle Eight funding request for review. He noted that the Global Fund allocated $791.6 million for Grant Cycle Eight, a reduction from the $933.1 million received under the current Grant Cycle Seven. This funding cut has prompted reforms aimed at improving efficiency, reducing duplication, and strengthening the integration of HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria programmes, while also enhancing government ownership and coordination. Nigeria has reduced the number of principal grant recipients from seven to five to streamline coordination and improve accountability. The grant prioritizes alignment with the Sector-Wide Approach, health insurance expansion, stronger supply chains, local pharmaceutical manufacturing, and broader health systems strengthening to ensure sustainable service delivery. Tajudeen added that $42.8 million from disease-specific allocations has been earmarked to strengthen health systems over the next three years through integrated healthcare investments. Nigeria has adopted integrated approaches encompassing laboratory services, commodity distribution, disease surveillance, community engagement, and health financing to bolster sustainability and improve long-term healthcare outcomes.

The Basic Health Care Provision Fund remains Nigeria’s primary financing mechanism supporting expanded access to quality Primary Health Care and advancing Universal Health Coverage nationwide. The Ministerial Oversight Committee functions as the highest governing and policy-making body responsible for managing, supervising, and implementing this fund in line with its statutory responsibilities.