The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved $1.07 billion for healthcare sector reforms under the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE) programme.
Mr. Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, said the Federal Government also approved a N4.8 billion allocation for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) treatment while addressing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Monday.
He added that the International Development Association (IDA) provided two concessional loans of $500 million each, along with $70 million in grant funding from other international bodies.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Prof. Muhammad Pate also stated that the HOPE programme aligns with the administration’s agenda to strengthen human capital development.
Allocation of funds for healthcare governance
Pate explained that the funds would be directed towards improving governance in healthcare and enhancing primary healthcare services nationwide.
“This financing would support the recruitment, training, and retention of healthcare workers and teachers at the subnational level,” he said.
Focus on the primary healthcare system and
Pate added that $500 million would be dedicated to expanding the quality, utilization, and resilience of the primary healthcare system, including emergency maternal and child health services.
“As part of broader healthcare reforms, the council also approved N4.8 billion for the procurement of 150,000 HIV treatment packs over the next four months.
“This initiative emphasizes the federal government’s commitment to providing life-saving treatment and reducing healthcare costs for vulnerable populations,” he said.
The Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE) programme was established with support from the World Bank.
In September 2024, the World Bank approved financing for the programme to help Nigeria improve its human capital development, particularly in the basic education and primary healthcare sectors.
The programme includes various projects aimed at strengthening governance, improving service delivery, and enhancing financial and human resource management in these sectors.
Specifically, the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity: Governance (HOPE-GOV) programme is designed to assist Nigeria in strengthening financial and human resource management in basic education and primary healthcare.
HOPE-GOV supports two key government initiatives: the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme, refocused through the Universal Basic Education Roadmap (UBER) 2021-2030, and the Basic Healthcare Provision programme, implemented through the National Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) 2024-2028.
The programme focuses on three main goals: increasing the effectiveness of financing, improving transparency and accountability in financing, and enhancing recruitment, deployment, and performance management of teachers and healthcare workers at all government levels.
