Category Nigeria News

The Federal Government has launched major national health strategies to strengthen planning, resource allocation, service delivery performance measurement, and across the country.

The launch was announced in a communiqué issued on Friday, and signed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, following the 2025 Health Sector–Wide Joint Annual Review, Nigeria’s annual accountability forum that evaluates the performance of the health sector and guides planning, budgeting, and coordination across federal, state, and local levels.

The communiqué stated that the launch of national products and strategies forms an integrated ecosystem that helps improve planning, resource allocation, performance measurement, and service delivery.

The products and strategies include “the data Plans, Tools & Reports (Health Sector Strategic Blueprint, National Health Facility Registry, National Health Management Information System Assessment, Multi-Source Data Analytics and Triangulation, Larval Source Management) to strengthen data quality, visibility and coordination; the National Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care Facility Readiness Assessment Report, providing Nigeria’s most comprehensive evaluation of emergency obstetric and newborn capacity; the Climate and Health National Adaptation Plan, advancing resilience against climate-driven health risks.

“The Second National Action Plan for Health Security, strengthening outbreak preparedness and response; the Nigeria Collaborative Action Strategy, integrating campaigns under ‘One Plan. One Campaign. One Frontline,’ and the Mini-DHS Framework, enabling annual, high-fidelity outcome measurement to track progress toward National Health Sector Renewal and Investment Initiative goals.”

The three-day meeting, chaired by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, alongside the Minister of State for Health, Iziaq Salako, convened nearly 1,000 participants representing federal and state governments, development partners, traditional and religious leaders, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, the private sector, civil society, academia, and the media.

According to the communiqué, this represented a two-fold increase from the 450 participants in 2024.

It noted that the 2025 review was held after state-level JARs for the first time, describing the development as evidence of “Nigeria’s deepening commitment to the NHSRII Compact and to the Sector-wide approach principles of One Plan, One Budget, One Report, and One Conversation.”

It highlighted the official signing of the UHC Compact Addendum, expanding the Compact to private sector actors, LGAs, traditional institutions, and other ministries; integrating emerging health sector priorities; responding to global health financing shifts; and strengthening accountability through clearer “Ask-and-Offer” frameworks.

It also said five NHSRII Spotlight Sessions showcased progress and opportunities across the 13 priority areas, including early gains in maternal and neonatal mortality reduction under the Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiatives; improvements in PHC functionality, emergency referral systems and social health insurance uptake; advancements in local manufacturing, regulation and pooled procurement; strengthened health security via surveillance, laboratories and emergency operations; and governance and financing transitions in preparation for evolving donor landscapes.

It added that key digital tools were showcased, including the Basic Health Care Provision Fund digital platform, the national e-learning system enabling free training for frontline health workers, and PHC revitalisation dashboards providing real-time facility readiness and service delivery visibility; the SAVE MAMA from Rural Emergency Service and Maternal Transportation; and the National Health Insurance Act digital platform for claims.

The review hosted a flagship exhibition and learning showcase with over 45 abstracts and exhibits and convened an interactive People’s Pulse Town Hall to elevate citizens’ perspectives and strengthen transparent feedback between Nigerians and health leaders.

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The communiqué also highlighted a first-of-its-kind open dialogue on corruption and fiduciary risk using the BHCPF as a case study, producing clear actions to strengthen transparency and accountability.

After reviewing performance and sector challenges, participants agreed on resolutions for 2026, including measures to improve transparency, data quality, health financing, PHC functionality, and maternal and reproductive health outcomes.

Among these resolutions is a commitment to operationalise the UHC Compact Addendum by the first quarter of 2026 and to adopt biometric verification across all primary health centres and health insurance platforms to eliminate ghost workers, strengthen attendance management, and enhance HRH transparency and performance.

On immunisation and commodities, the communiqué stated, “Nigeria committed to the full release of its counterpart for vaccines procurement and meeting its obligations in the revised accountability framework.”

The council also resolved to expand health insurance coverage, with a target of enrolling five million Nigerians, including one million more vulnerable citizens, by the end of 2026.

It further detailed actions to enhance local manufacturing by transitioning at least 20 priority commodities to local production, with five new manufacturing plants operational by 2026, and strengthening state and LGA systems to improve readiness, accountability, and emergency response.

It concluded with commitments to institute data-guided monitoring and fund allocation and to optimise state-level investments, particularly to unlock the Nigeria Primary Health Care Provision Strengthening Programme (HOPE-PHC) incentives and strengthen frontline service delivery.

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has warned there will be criminal prosecution over the construction of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA).

Okpebholo said this on Friday, when the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, paid a courtesy visit to the Government House, Benin City.

READ ALSO: West African Art Museum Will Be Restored As Birthday Gift To Benin Monarch — Okpebholo

This was contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua.

“I didn’t want to speak publicly on this again, but the time has come to state the facts,” the governor said.

“At the end of the day, there will be criminal prosecution on this matter. We are not fighting investors.

“Our duty is to protect Edo State and, by extension, Nigeria. There will be no hiding place for criminals in our land,” he added.

The governor reiterated his administration’s uncompromising commitment to transparency, accountability, and institutional integrity in the ongoing controversy surrounding the museum.

He noted that the state was not at war with investors but would not hesitate to prosecute any wrongdoing uncovered in the project.

Addressing the issues that have trailed the project, the governor expressed concern that his administration was deliberately excluded from crucial information and developments, including the arrival of foreign delegates for what he described as a questionable commissioning ceremony.

He revealed that documents obtained by the state “indicated major changes to MOWAA’s registration details, made just six days before his swearing-in, describing the action as suspicious and deeply troubling”.

He added that the state government was never informed about the arrival of expatriates invited for a Sunday commissioning ceremony, a move he said further reinforced the lack of transparency that has characterised the project’s operations.

The meeting was attended by key government officials, including the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku; Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilo; Chief of Staff, Mallam Gani Audu; Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Roland Otaru, SAN; and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, among others.

Governor Okpebholo assured that his administration will continue to defend the integrity of the state, uphold due process, and work closely with the Federal Government, traditional institutions, and all stakeholders to achieve a just, transparent, and credible resolution to the MOWAA controversy and similar matters affecting the state.

He had on Monday decried what he says is a lack of transparency in the project.

“The controversy surrounding MOWAA stems from the lack of openness by the previous government,” Okpebholo was quoted as saying in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, on Monday.

“It is curious how the project evolved from the Benin Royal Museum to the Edo Museum of West African Art (EMOWAA), and now to the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), without clarity or consultation with our revered traditional institution,” he said when he received a delegation of European diplomats, including the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, and the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Günther, at the Government House, Benin City.

A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT), Bode George, has reassured Nigerians that the party remains united despite its legal and internal challenges.

The chieftain, who spoke in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, described the PDP as “an Iroko,” a strong political party in Nigeria.

“The convention will go on. The court under Justice Akintola has given its own judgment. He stated that the order to continue our operations has been extended till Monday next week and that he will give his own judgement on 8 December.

“The majority of the members of the party know that this party is the Iroko, a political party in Nigeria. There is no organisation that will not have disagreement or debate, all kinds of things.

“I want to reassure you that this party is solid, undivided, and the way things went on, I am hell shocked that he (Sule Lamido) took the party to court,” he said on Friday on the show.

‘Due Process Unfollowed’

George said Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, misunderstood the PDP’s nomination process for its 2025 national convention.

“The last NEC meeting we had, at that NEC, the date for the collection of forms for those who wanted to contest was stipulated.

“What they are supposed to do and when they are supposed to return the forms was all well stated and approved by NEC. That is the procedure.

“Everybody who wanted to collect forms was live, paid the normal dues, and they got the form. But on his (Lamido’s) own side, he came physically on the very day that the return of forms closed.

“Of course, with his status, if he had called them (NEC) earlier or told them that I want to take this form, they would oblige because of his status. But to now carry that and go to court because they didn’t give him the form? That day was the last day to return the forms, so did he do what is right?” he explained.

George also criticised the Abuja court ruling Lamido relied upon.

The party chieftain stated, “I just heard about the judgment by another court there in Abuja. For God’s sake, the Supreme Court has ruled that all these kinds of issues, political issues, should be resolved within themselves.”

Appearing on the same show, Lamido described the party as a family once united but now “eroded”.

He also blamed party governors for the crisis and stressed his loyalty to the law.

The ex-governor said he took the case to court to restore his dignity, insisting he would not attend the convention while a court injunction exists.

Lamido had filed a suit to reclaim his right to purchase the nomination form for national chairman.

Planned Convention

Meanwhile, preparations for the convention, scheduled for November 15 to 16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State, are in full swing.

Delegates have started arriving, and the venue is decorated in PDP colours.

The Federal High Court in Abuja, under Justice Peter Lifu, issued an order halting the PDP convention until Lamido could obtain the nomination form.

In contrast, the Oyo State High Court adjourned ruling on a preliminary objection in a similar suit by PDP member Folahan Adelabi.

The court confirmed the interim order allowing preparations for the convention.

Two months after dissolving his cabinet, Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, has submitted a fresh list of 30 commissioner-nominees to the Niger State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.

Bago had earlier dissolved the State Executive Council during a meeting at the Council Chamber in Minna.

He appreciated former commissioners for their service and contributions to the development of the state.

At the time, he retained only key officials, including the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff, and other principal officers in his office.

In a letter dated November 12, 2025, and addressed to the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji, the governor forwarded the names of new nominees for confirmation in line with Section 192(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

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He noted that the selections were made after extensive consultations and described the nominees as individuals of integrity, proven competence, and commitment to the state’s progress.

Bago appealed to the House to give the nominees prompt consideration to allow for the reconstitution of the State Executive Council.

He expressed confidence that the new commissioners, once confirmed, would play key roles in advancing his administration’s ongoing reforms and development initiatives.

According to a statement from the office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Digital Media and Strategy, the nominees have also undergone necessary security clearance processes.

Full List of Commissioner Nominees and zones:

The Kaduna State Government has proposed a ₦985.9 billion budget for 2026, with the draft including ₦100 million for each of the state’s 255 political wards.

The proposal represents a 25.73 per cent increase from the 2025 appropriation.

The government allocated ₦699.7 billion to capital expenditure and ₦286.2 billion to recurrent spending.

Governor Uba Sani presented the budget during a special town hall meeting in Kaduna.

He said the ward allocation followed citizens’ complaints from earlier consultations.

He explained that residents highlighted major development gaps across rural communities.

Communities Projects

The governor noted that 12 councils saw no road construction for 12 years.

He said this discovery shifted the state to a ward-based development model.

Sani stated that communities would direct their own project choices.

He said decisions on the ₦100 million “will no longer be taken by people on the high table”.

READ ALSO: Senate Panel Clears Executive Chairman, Commissioners For FCC

The governor maintained that the money belongs to the communities and must reflect their needs.

He explained that each ward would identify and rank its most urgent projects.

According to him, likely projects include feeder roads, water schemes, health facilities, and farm-to-market routes. Communities may also prioritise security infrastructure and local economic programmes.

The governor said citizen input already influenced government decisions this year. He cited the rise in the water budget from ₦10 million to ₦100 million after public complaints.

He noted that earlier consultations exposed severe infrastructure neglect.

This discovery triggered a large road development programme across all LGAs.

Sani listed several ongoing projects nearing completion.

They include 24km inter-community links, a 35km road in Sanga, and a 22.5km road in Soba. He also mentioned 24.7km in Zangon Kataf and 14.2km in Igabi.

Sani stated that town hall feedback shaped the state’s health investments.

He said Kaduna is now the only state to upgrade 255 PHCs from level one to level two.

He added that this achievement earned Kaduna recognition as the best PHC system in the Northwest.

Healthcare

He said the state is renovating 16 general hospitals, with nine already completed and commissioned.

The governor said wards with strong farming populations will receive targeted support.

He noted that these plans will complement the distribution of nearly 900 trucks of fertiliser.

He also referenced a $250 million agro-industrial deal backed by the Federal Government.

He said the deal aims to improve market access and increase rural incomes.

Sani highlighted Kaduna’s growing skills development programmes.

Youth Empowerment

He said 90,000 youths are enrolled under the Federal Government’s TX training scheme.

He added that communities can sponsor vocational and digital training from the ward funds.

He also said major transport projects will support ward economies.

He mentioned the planned BRT system and the proposed 44km light rail project.

The governor said the philosophy behind the ₦100 million allocation is fairness.

He stressed that development must reach every ward “irrespective of who they voted for, where they come from or what religion they practise.”

He concluded that the budget model is built on trust and inclusion.

A former spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar, Segun Sowunmi, has accused the Federal Government of mismanaging the conduct of the Federal Capital Territory minister, Nyesom Wike, following his recent altercation with a naval officer.

Sowunmi, who spoke in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, said public opinion showed rising concern about Wike’s behaviour in government.

“If you have listening tools, and I expect the government to have, listen to what’s happening on the radio, listen to what’s happening on television, filter the internet, and see the opinion of Nigerians.

“What you are going to find out is that the Federal Government of Bola Tinubu has a Wike problem,” he said.

He described the former Rivers State governor as “energetic, competent, goal-driven, with evidence of performance,” but accused him of being “a mismanaged, excessively irritating and garrulous aide”.

“The amount of invective you put out at people increases their ability for them to, first of all, dislike you, and then by inference begin to dislike your principal,” he said.

READ ALSO: Nigerians Must Respect Armed Forces, Lawan Reacts To Wike’s Clash With Naval Officer

The PDP chieftain said the minister mishandled the recent encounter with a naval officer.

He noted that Wike often disrespected senior national figures, adding that the minister’s media style worsened public frustration.

“In your ‘I’m bigger than everybody, I’m very strong, I’m this and that,’ you put yourself in a situation where a junior ranking officer is now forced to hold the line before you.

“You had a problem in Rivers (state), you were backed. People didn’t like that.

“You seem to have issues with almost all our revered leaders in the country. You are constantly in the media, screaming, shouting, bellowing, jumping, saying it anyhow you like,” he said.

Sowunmi warned that such displays embarrassed the government.

He also shared the advice he once received from former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

He said, “I once asked Chief Obasanjo one day: ‘How do you get the army and the armed forces to behave in a civilian regime?’ He said… ‘the armed forces are well trained.

“They will not take orders from a person whom they see is a little bit not properly or professionally able to give them orders.”

Sowunmi said officials must demonstrate professionalism when dealing with the military.

“At the end of the day… look at the quantity of skits (which went viral from Wike’s altercation with the naval officer)… You can’t run a government like that.

“You cannot be an irritating, garrulous aide of a government. You are serving the citizens of Nigeria. You are serving at the behest of the president. You must control yourself and manage yourself better,” he added.

Clash, Defence 

Public debate intensified after a viral video showed Wike confronting a naval officer at a site in Gaduwa, Abuja.

Officials of the FCT administration had attempted to stop an alleged unauthorised construction, but soldiers reportedly blocked the officials from entering the disputed land.

The site was allegedly linked to a former Chief of Naval Staff.

Wike later arrived and accused the officers of impunity.

Defending his intervention on Thursday, the minister said he acted because officials were assaulted during a lawful assignment and condemned the deployment of soldiers for personal disputes.

“How can I sit as a minister when government officials are being attacked and beaten up… and I’ll just sit in my office doing what? You have no document. We cannot continue to act in impunity,” he said.

Wike said the FCTA had no record of legal allocation for the land, noting that retired officers must follow due process.