Umar revealed that the assessment showed that a total of 220,755 primary health care positions were required across the participating states
LONDON —
The Federal Government has disclosed that Nigeria requires no fewer than 122,696 additional primary health care workers to fill critical staffing gaps across 26 states, with an estimated N4.55 billion needed over the next three years to address the shortfall.
The Human Resource for Health and Project Management Lead at the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAP) Coordination Office, Zaiyanatu Umar, made this known on Saturday in Abuja during the 15th Expanded Ministerial Oversight Committee meeting on national healthcare implementation.
Umar explained that the estimate was derived from baseline data submitted by 26 verified states, which assessed existing staffing levels against the country’s Primary Health Care Minimum Staffing Standards.
“The baseline data received from SWAp was based on the recruitment tool that was developed. This was majorly to push forth on the HOPE-GOV 5.2 Disbursement-Linked Indicator, which focuses on ensuring quality healthcare workforce availability across different levels,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the World Bank-supported HOPE-GOV Programme incentivises states to improve governance, financial management, and service delivery in primary health care and basic education systems nationwide.
Umar revealed that the assessment showed that a total of 220,755 primary health care positions were required across the participating states.
However, only 98,059 positions are currently filled, leaving a deficit of 122,696 workers.
She added that participating states averaged just 7.5 primary health care workers per 10,000 population, while more than half 55.6 per cent of required staffing positions remain vacant.
A regional breakdown of the findings showed significant disparities across the country.
The North West followed with a 70.9 per cent deficit and 5.8 workers per 10,000 population, while the South West recorded a 59.3 per cent shortfall.
According to Umar, the North Central zone had a relatively moderate gap of 49.5 per cent, with about eight workers per 10,000 population, while the South South recorded a 46.8 per cent deficit.
The North East region had the least deficit among the assessed zones, though still significant, at 33.9 per cent, underscoring persistent shortages across Nigeria’s healthcare system.
“South East facilities are thinly staffed on every available measure, unlike the North where state and local government payrolls add staff,” Umar noted.
She clarified that the analysis excluded 13 states, adding that the Performance Management Task Team was currently finalising a Human Resource for Health scorecard aimed at strengthening accountability and improving workforce performance nationwide.
Doubra stated that more than 130,000 patients had benefited from the intervention, while the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System disbursed an additional N1.49 billion to tertiary health facilities between January 2023 and May 2026.
He added that the committee’s priorities for the third quarter include expanding emergency medical operations from the current 32 states to all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
According to him, efforts are also underway to increase the coverage of Rapid Emergency Services and Medical Ambulance Teams from 139 local government areas to 172 LGAs before the end of the year, particularly targeting underserved communities.
Tajudeen disclosed that the Global Fund allocated 791.6 million dollars for the new funding cycle, a reduction from the 933.1 million dollars received under Grant Cycle Seven.
He explained that the reduction had prompted reforms focused on improving efficiency, eliminating duplication, and strengthening integration across programmes targeting HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.
As part of the reforms, Nigeria reduced the number of principal grant recipients from seven to five to improve coordination, increase government ownership, and enhance accountability in programme implementation.
He noted that the funding request prioritises alignment with the Sector-Wide Approach, expansion of health insurance coverage, strengthening of supply chains, promotion of local pharmaceutical manufacturing, and broader health system improvements.
Tajudeen added that Nigeria earmarked 42.8 million dollars from disease-specific allocations to strengthen health systems over the next three years through integrated healthcare investments.
He emphasised that the country had adopted integrated approaches covering laboratory services, commodity distribution, disease surveillance, community engagement, and health financing to ensure sustainable healthcare delivery.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Basic Health Care Provision Fund remains the Federal Government’s flagship financing mechanism for improving access to quality primary health care and advancing universal health coverage.
The Ministerial Oversight Committee serves as the highest policy-making body responsible for the management and implementation of the fund in line with statutory provisions.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Medical Association has raised concerns over the state of the country’s health sector, citing weak funding, poor planning, and worsening brain drain as major challenges undermining healthcare delivery.
In its Democracy Day 2026 statement, the association warned that the continued migration of healthcare professionals to other countries poses a serious threat to the sustainability of Nigeria’s health system.
The NMA called on the government to prioritise investment in the health sector, improve working conditions for medical personnel, and implement policies that would retain skilled professionals within the country.
