ABUJA, NIGERIA — The House of Representatives has called for the establishment of a risk-sharing fund to attract private investment into Nigeria’s primary healthcare system, in a move aimed at addressing the chronic underfunding of the sector and expanding access to quality healthcare for millions of Nigerians.
The call was made on Thursday by the Chairman of the House Committee on Healthcare Services, Hon. Amos Magaji, during a public hearing on a bill seeking to establish the Primary Healthcare Development Fund. He said the current funding model for primary healthcare was inadequate and unsustainable, and that innovative financing mechanisms were needed to bridge the gap.
“Nigeria’s primary healthcare system is grossly underfunded. We cannot continue to rely solely on government allocations and donor funding. We need to create a risk-sharing fund that will attract private sector investment and ensure that our primary healthcare centres have the resources they need to function effectively,” Magaji stated.
The lawmaker noted that primary healthcare is the foundation of any functional health system, yet it receives the least funding in Nigeria. He said the lack of adequate funding had resulted in dilapidated facilities, shortage of drugs and equipment, and inadequate staffing, forcing millions of Nigerians to seek care in secondary and tertiary facilities that are already overstretched.
The proposed Primary Healthcare Development Fund, according to Magaji, would pool resources from the Federal Government, state governments, development partners, and the private sector to finance the renovation of primary healthcare centres, the procurement of drugs and equipment, and the training and retention of health workers. The fund would also provide risk guarantees to private investors willing to invest in primary healthcare infrastructure.
“We are proposing a fund that will not only provide direct financing but will also de-risk investment in primary healthcare. This will encourage private sector participation and unlock new sources of funding for the sector,” he said.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Health Institutions, Hon. Tanko Sununu, supported the call, noting that the risk-sharing fund would help address the fragmentation of healthcare financing in Nigeria. He said the fund would be managed transparently and would be subject to rigorous oversight by the National Assembly.
“We will ensure that the fund is properly managed and that resources are directed to where they are needed most. We cannot afford to squander this opportunity to transform our healthcare system,” Sununu said.
Health experts and civil society organisations at the hearing welcomed the proposal, describing it as a step in the right direction. The Executive Director of the Nigeria Health Watch, Mrs. Vivianne Ihekweazu, said the fund would help address the funding gap in primary healthcare and improve health outcomes, particularly for women and children.
“Primary healthcare is where most Nigerians access care, yet it is the most neglected in terms of funding. A risk-sharing fund will help attract the investment needed to strengthen the system and save lives,” she said.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, who was represented at the hearing, said the Federal Government was committed to strengthening primary healthcare and would support the establishment of the fund. He said the government had already increased budgetary allocations to the health sector and was implementing reforms to improve efficiency and accountability.
“We are committed to ensuring that every Nigerian has access to quality primary healthcare. The establishment of this fund will complement our efforts and accelerate progress towards universal health coverage,” Alausa said.
The public hearing continues on Friday, with more stakeholders expected to present their views on the proposed bill. If passed into law, the Primary Healthcare Development Fund would be a major milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to reform its healthcare system and improve the health and well-being of its citizens. For now, the House of Representatives has sent a clear message: primary healthcare must be prioritised, and innovative financing is the way forward.
