- Health Minister Mohammed Pate has addressed why the ministry performed poorly in implementing its 2025 capital budget
- He blamed the problem on poor cash releases under the Accountant-General’s bottom-up cash planning system and delays in getting counterpart funding
- Pate spoke while defending the ministry’s 2026 budget at the House of Representatives, as lawmakers demanded details of donor funds and spending
Legit.ng Journalist Muslim Muhammad Yusuf is a 2025 Wole Soyinka Award winner, with over 8 years of experience in investigative reporting, human rights, politics, governance and accountability in Nigeria.
The minister of health and social welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, has blamed the poor implementation of the ministry’s 2025 capital budget on inadequate cash releases, disclosing that only ₦36 million was released out of the ₦218 billion appropriated for the year.
According to Premium Times, Pate made the disclosure on Monday, February 9, while defending the ministry’s 2026 budget before the House of Representatives.
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He told lawmakers that while the personnel budget was fully released and utilised, the capital component suffered major setbacks due to the bottom-up cash planning system operated by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
The minister added that delays in Nigeria’s counterpart funding also prevented the ministry from accessing some donor-backed funds, further slowing the execution of capital projects in 2025.
Pate explained that the health sector operates within the framework of Vision 20:2020, the Medium-Term National Development Plan (NDP) 2021–2025, and the National Strategic Health Development Plan (NSHDP) II.
He said the constitution and the National Health Act mandate the government to guarantee the right to health for all Nigerians, with the 2016 National Health Policy serving as the implementation guide.
Pate speaks on universal health coverage
According to him, universal health coverage remains central to the policy objective of strengthening Nigeria’s health system, especially the Primary Health Care subsystem, to ensure quality, equitable and affordable health services.
Pate also said the ministry’s 2026 budget proposal was developed from the 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper and prepared through the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).
He noted that the proposal aligns with the National Development Plan, the federal government’s policy priorities and the health-sector deliverables under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
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Vanguard also reported that the minister disclosed that the Ministry’s 2026 budget proposal is derived from the 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP).
“The 2026 budget proposal was prepared using the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) and aligns with the National Development Plan 2021–2025, as well as the policy thrust of the Tinubu administration,” he said.
He explained that the proposal is anchored on the 2016 National Health Policy and guided by the Ministry’s Strategic Blueprint Initiatives aimed at achieving ministerial deliverables and advancing Universal Health Coverage.
In his response, the Chairman of the House Committee on Healthcare Services, Amos Magaji (APC, Kaduna), asked the minister to submit detailed records of donor funds received by the ministry and how they were utilised.
US dedicates $200m for Christian health facilities
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the United States signed a five-year health MoU with Nigeria, committing nearly $2.1bn, while Nigeria will invest about $3bn in domestic health spending.
About $200m of the US funding is dedicated to more than 900 Christian faith-based healthcare facilities serving millions of Nigerians.
The agreement focuses on HIV, malaria, TB, maternal and child health, and is linked to Nigeria’s efforts to protect vulnerable Christian communities.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng