Nigeria’s health sector confronted significant challenges and pivotal policy shifts in November, marked by a critical HIV funding crisis threatening services for 1.5 million people and high-level discussions on reform at the 2025 National Health Dialogue. The month also saw the suspension of a protracted strike by resident doctors, restoring vital healthcare services across federal hospitals after nearly a month of disruption. These developments collectively underscored both the inherent fragilities and the determined efforts to reshape the nation’s health landscape.
A report released by Education as a Vaccine (EVA) cast a stark light on the vulnerability of Nigeria’s HIV response, revealing that an estimated 1.5 million individuals in key populations face the potential loss of life-saving prevention and support services. This alarming situation stems from a critical funding freeze by the United States government, which previously accounted for 87% of Nigeria’s HIV budget. The report highlighted declining prevention indicators and widespread service disruptions nationwide, pointing to systemic weaknesses.
Amidst these concerns, the 2025 National Health Dialogue, co-hosted by Premium Times and the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), served as a crucial platform for stakeholders. The event, themed “Evidence, Innovation, and Financing for a Healthier Nigeria,” gathered senior government officials, global health leaders, journalists, and civil society groups to address systemic weaknesses and chart a path for reform. Discussions spanned Nigeria’s reform priorities, the future of primary healthcare, and strategies to improve national health outcomes.
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, a central figure at the Dialogue, articulated a bold vision for the sector. He pledged the federal government’s commitment to securing the highest health allocation in Nigeria’s history, alongside efforts to eliminate wasteful spending and bolster accountability across the system. Acknowledging that decades of underinvestment, weak governance, and unclear responsibilities had led to “inequality and failure,” Minister Pate stated his expectation for the 2026 budget to allocate closer to six percent for health, representing a significant historical increase.
Despite the immediate funding anxieties, Nigeria demonstrated notable progress in its fight against HIV, with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) announcing the country had met two of three global UNAIDS 95–95–95 targets. Nigeria’s current standing at 87–98–95 signifies a strong performance in ensuring people know their status, receive sustained treatment, and achieve viral suppression. Globally, the Global Fund secured $11.34 billion in pledges from partners to sustain the fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, reinforcing health systems in high-burden regions.
The nationwide strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), which commenced on November 1, concluded at the month’s end after 29 days. The industrial action, which severely impacted federal hospitals, was suspended following intensive engagements with the federal government. Doctors had demanded the payment of outstanding arrears, immediate replacement of personnel, improved hospital infrastructure, and the inclusion of house officers in the civil service scheme.
In a separate development, the House of Representatives initiated an investigation into the concerning trend of medical consultants and personnel in public hospitals engaging in private practice during official working hours. Lawmakers expressed alarm over alleged “unethical practices” where doctors reportedly abandon public duties to attend to private patients, particularly at the National Hospital, Abuja, and other federal teaching hospitals, thus compromising the tertiary healthcare services they are meant to provide.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, reiterated that Nigeria’s health financing remains critically low, despite ongoing reforms aimed at building a resilient and inclusive health system. He highlighted persistent challenges including low funding, high out-of-pocket expenditure, severe workforce shortages, and inadequate infrastructure. Minister Salako emphasized that current progress is insufficient to meet the healthcare demands of Nigeria’s over 230 million citizens.
Further positive updates included the federal government’s announcement that Nigeria now averts an estimated 18 million malaria cases annually, a testament to ongoing control programmes. Additionally, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Muyi Aina, detailed efforts to strengthen primary health centers, expand the frontline health workforce, and advance local vaccine production, aiming to ensure essential healthcare funds reach communities effectively.
