2025 Budget: Only N36m is released out of N218bn Capital Allocation – Pate

By Christiana Ekpa

The Minister of Health, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, has revealed that the Federal Ministry of Health was unable to utilise its 2025 capital budget after receiving just N36 million out of the N218 billion appropriated for the year.
Prof. Pate disclosed this on Monday during the 2026 budget defence session with the House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare Services.
According to him, while the Ministry’s entire personnel budget was fully released and expended, the capital component suffered severe funding shortfalls due to the bottom-up cash planning system operated by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
He further explained that delays in the release of Nigeria’s counterpart funding obligations prevented the Ministry from accessing some donor and counterpart funds, effectively stalling implementation of capital projects under the 2025 budget.
“The capital budget could not be implemented due to circumstances beyond the Ministry’s control,” the Minister said.
Prof. Pate noted that Nigeria’s health sector operates within key policy frameworks, including Vision 20:2020, the Medium-Term National Development Plan (NDP) 2021–2025, and the National Strategic Health Development Plan (NSHDP II).
He stressed that both the 1999 Constitution and the National Health Act are anchored on guaranteeing the right to health for all Nigerians, adding that the 2016 National Health Policy serves as the implementation framework for achieving improved health outcomes and meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The principles of Universal Health Coverage remain central to strengthening Nigeria’s health system, particularly Primary Health Care, to deliver quality, equitable, accessible and affordable services to all Nigerians,” he said.
On the 2026 fiscal outlook, Prof. Pate disclosed that the Ministry’s proposed budget is derived from the 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) and was prepared using the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).
He added that the proposal aligns with the National Development Plan 2021–2025, the policy priorities of the Federal Government, and the health-sector deliverables of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.
The Minister said the 2026 budget is anchored on the National Health Policy 2016, themed “Promoting the Health of Nigerians to Accelerate Socio-economic Development,” and is designed to fast-track implementation of the National Health Act, 2014 and advance Universal Health Coverage.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the House Committee on Healthcare Services, Hon. Amos Gwamna Magaji, directed the Minister to submit comprehensive documentation on donor funds received by the Ministry, including details of utilisation and any revoked or delayed funding.