FG Seeks Greater Results, Accountability for Health Spending

The federal government is seeking greater accountability and measurable results from health spending, aiming to demonstrate that increased investment in healthcare is translating into better services and improved patient outcomes. This comes as policymakers and experts gather for the inaugural Nigeria Health Financing Research and Learning Forum, set to begin in Abuja.

The forum, themed "Evidence and Learning for Nigeria’s Health Financing Future," aims to explore how research and data can guide decisions on funding healthcare treatments and services, as well as how to allocate scarce resources for maximum impact. The initiative follows rising health insurance enrollment and growing government spending on healthcare, even as Nigerians continue to shoulder a significant portion of medical costs.

With over 23 million Nigerians now enrolled in health insurance, and the federal government releasing approximately ₦235 billion through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund in the past three years, there is mounting pressure for policymakers to prove that higher health spending is delivering tangible benefits in terms of access, quality of care, and financial protection for households.

Organized by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in coordination with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), the forum aims to bring together stakeholders from Nigeria and other countries to discuss how research can be translated into practical decisions within the health system. Key areas of focus will include determining which interventions provide sufficient health benefits relative to their costs, particularly as resources become increasingly constrained.

The National Health Insurance Authority has already begun applying Health Technology Assessment to support these decisions, evaluating the clinical and economic value of various health interventions before allocating resources. The forum will build upon these efforts by identifying critical evidence gaps and strengthening the link between research findings, financing decisions, and outcomes at the point of care.

Participants at the forum include Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, Director-General of the NHIA; Professor John Ataguba, Canada Research Chair in Health Economics; Professor Justice Nonvignon, a Ghanaian health economist; Professor Chima Ariel Onoka of the University of Nigeria; and Dr. Girmaye Dinsa, an Ethiopian health-financing expert. Other attendees include Dr. Kheya Furtado of India’s Goa Institute of Management, Dr. Yewande Ogundeji, HSDF Managing Principal and health economist, and Dr. Kurfi Abubakar Muhammad, Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics at the NHIA.

While the forum will focus on financing, its ultimate goal is to establish a stronger locally led research and learning system capable of providing evidence that directly informs healthcare policy and resource allocation, ensuring that decisions on healthcare financing lead to tangible improvements in access, quality of services, and patient outcomes.