Health Lookout in Nigeria for 2026 With Medical Experts

Nigeria is heading into 2026 with what analysts describe as cautious optimism in the health sector, as lawmakers debate a proposed ₦2.48 trillion allocation. Officials are also promising faster improvements in primary healthcare quality and access.

The proposed 2026 health allocation is ₦2.48 trillion, ranking fourth on the government’s priority list, with ₦42.18 billion earmarked for basic healthcare for vulnerable citizens.

The central question from most Nigerians is whether the funding will translate into medicine on shelves, health workers present at duty posts, and earlier access to care before emergencies escalate.

The year 2025 was a defining year, marked by outbreaks including Lassa fever, measles and cholera, while brain drain and industrial actions strained service delivery in many hospitals.

However, there were bright spots such as the inauguration of oncology centres in Katsina, Enugu and Ado. Additionally, there was a nationwide integrated vaccination campaign, and intensified efforts by the National Health Insurance Authority to expand coverage.

Government’s 2026 plan: PHC upgrades, staffing, quality rules

Dr. Muyi, the executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, said government efforts in 2024–2025 focused on planning, mobilizing resources, and gradually expanding what can be delivered with limited funding.

He said over 2,360 facilities had been upgraded to level two, with about 1,600 more in progress. More so, he said that the President’s target of retraining 120,000 health workers has surpassed 78,000 retrained so far. The year 2026 will emphasise quality enforcement, including accreditation standards tied to funding, so facilities that fail to meet criteria may lose access to basic healthcare provision funds, he added.

Maternal deaths, insurance gaps and workforce retention

Professor Titus Ibekwe, a health policy and management expert, argued Nigeria still trails global benchmarks. According to him, this is because health spending is around a little bit above five per cent of federal expenditure in the figures discussed, versus the 15% target referenced under the Abuja Declaration.

He also pointed to low insurance coverage, saying improvements are still only from about 6% to about 10.1%. He warned that weak financing and poor retention incentives continue to drive workforce losses and periodic strikes.

The agency also outlined a digital strategy to improve surveillance and follow-up, including digitizing frontline service delivery, decision-support tools for non-physician health workers. It will also be rolling out bite-sized training videos in multiple languages.