The Federal Government has set ambitious healthcare targets for 2031, including making at least 90 per cent of primary healthcare centres (PHCs) functional and expanding health insurance coverage to 40 per cent of Nigerians.
The government also plans to provide quarterly funding to at least 17,600 primary healthcare centres through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), while extending maternal and newborn healthcare interventions to all 774 local government areas.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, announced the targets on Tuesday during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Nigeria Health Sector Joint Annual Review (JAR) in Abuja.
He said the government was also working towards reducing out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure to below 50 per cent by 2031 as part of efforts to make medical services more affordable and accessible.
According to Salako, the targets form part of the government’s broader commitment to improving healthcare financing, expanding access to essential services and reducing preventable deaths across the country.
FG targets improved maternal and newborn care
The government plans to extend maternal and newborn healthcare interventions to every local government area in Nigeria through the Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII).
The initiative is designed to improve access to essential services for pregnant women and newborns, particularly in communities facing challenges with healthcare access.
Expanding the programme nationwide is expected to strengthen efforts to prevent avoidable maternal and newborn deaths.
Government targets lower healthcare costs
Salako said reducing out-of-pocket healthcare spending to below 50 per cent by 2031 was another major priority.
Out-of-pocket expenditure refers to payments individuals make directly for medical services, medicines, consultations and treatment instead of having the costs covered by health insurance or other healthcare financing arrangements.
Reducing this burden is expected to protect households from excessive medical expenses and encourage more Nigerians to seek medical attention when necessary.
Nearly eight million additional Nigerians enrolled in health insurance
Providing an update on the ongoing health sector reforms, the minister said nearly eight million additional Nigerians had been enrolled in health insurance since the current administration assumed office.
He disclosed that more than three million of the new enrollees were vulnerable people receiving support to access healthcare coverage.
The government is also providing direct support to more than 8,000 primary healthcare centres across the country.
Salako added that over 3,000 facilities had attained Level 2 readiness, indicating progress in their capacity to provide essential healthcare services.
FG reports improvement in maternal health outcomes
The minister also highlighted improvements in maternal and child healthcare, reporting an approximately 60 per cent decline in facility-reported maternal deaths compared with 2024.
The reported reduction forms part of the government’s assessment of progress under its ongoing health sector reforms.
Nigeria, however, continues to face major healthcare challenges, including inadequate funding, shortages of health workers and unequal access to essential medical services, particularly in rural communities.
The government says its 2031 targets are intended to address some of these gaps by improving primary healthcare delivery, expanding insurance coverage and strengthening financial protection for households.
