ANHeJ Urges Nigeria To Look Inward As Foreign Health Funding Shrinks
As foreign grants and donor support continue to dwindle, health stakeholders in Nigeria are issuing a clear warning: the country must urgently strengthen its domestic funding or risk reversing hard-won gains in healthcare delivery.
This was the central message at the 9th Annual Health Conference of the Association of Nigerian Health Journalists (ANHeJ), held on 5 December 2025 in Abuja, where government officials, civil society groups and development partners converged to examine sustainable ways of financing health in Nigeria.
With the theme “Domestic Resource Mobilisation in the Face of Dwindling Foreign Grants and Aids,” the conference highlighted growing funding gaps in critical areas such as immunisation, family planning, cancer research and treatment, non-communicable diseases and nutrition.
Stakeholders acknowledged modest progress, including increased cancer funding from 3 per cent in 2023 to 5.2 per cent in 2025, but warned that this remains far below the estimated ₦97 billion needed annually to effectively implement Nigeria’s National Strategic Cancer Control Plan. Similar concerns were raised over a $27 million funding gap for family planning in 2025 and shortfalls in vaccine financing despite recent federal releases.
Participants also expressed deep concern over Nigeria’s worsening malnutrition crisis, with projections showing about 3.5 million children likely to suffer from Severe Acute Malnutrition in 2025, particularly in the North-East and North-West.
ANHeJ urged the Federal Government and National Assembly to increase the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund from one per cent to two per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
The conference also called for a review of the Sugar-Sweetened Beverages tax in line with WHO recommendations, insisting that proceeds must be ring-fenced strictly for health.
The media and civil society organisations were tasked with intensifying public education, tracking health budgets, and holding government accountable through responsible, evidence-based reporting.
ANHeJ reaffirmed its commitment to advancing universal health coverage in Nigeria and appreciated the support of partners including the Africa Health Budget Network, Roche, Pathfinder International, IHVN, Save the Children and VNDC.
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