Legislative Focus on Health and Digital Innovation
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has emphasized that health will remain a central priority for the 10th National Assembly. This commitment comes as experts and stakeholders advocate for sustainable financing and climate-resilient healthcare systems in Nigeria.
At the 6th Annual Legislative Summit on Health, held in Abuja, Mr. Akpabio declared the summit open with the theme “Building Responsive, Sustainable Health Systems: Leveraging Legislative Action for Digital Innovation, Human Capital and Infrastructure for Universal Health Coverage.” The event was co-hosted by several key organizations, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Nigeria Environmental Summit Group, and the National Assembly, alongside various development partners.
In his address, Mr. Akpabio highlighted that the health of a nation is its truest measure of wealth. He stressed that health security should be treated as national security. The senator noted that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of Nigeria’s health system but also showcased the resilience of frontline workers.
He acknowledged ongoing challenges such as inadequate funding, weak infrastructure, brain drain, and lack of reliable data, but expressed optimism about the future. “Across Nigeria, the green shoots of renewal are visible, digital health initiatives, local pharmaceutical industries, and new partnerships between government and the private sector. The task before us now is to gather these efforts into one coherent strategy,” he said.
Review and Modernisation of Health Laws
Under the 10th National Assembly, Mr. Akpabio announced that health would be at the center of legislative priorities. Efforts will focus on reviewing and modernising laws to align with global best practices. He emphasized the importance of giving full life to the National Health Act and ensuring that the Basic Health Care Provision Fund reaches every community it was intended for.
Mr. Akpabio also promised legislative support for digital innovation, including telemedicine, electronic records, and the use of artificial intelligence for diagnosis and disease surveillance. He called for building a digital backbone that connects every primary health centre with every tertiary hospital. Additionally, he urged improved welfare for health workers to curb the migration of medical professionals abroad.
Strengthening Primary Health Care and Financing
During panel discussions at the pre-summit, experts and stakeholders called for improved funding mechanisms, better use of technology, and stronger community ownership to revitalise primary healthcare. Kabiru Atta, Country Representative of EngenderHealth, pointed out that poor understanding of health integration continues to fragment Nigeria’s system. He noted that one of the biggest obstacles to integrating reproductive, maternal, newborn, and adolescent health services into routine primary care delivery is a poor understanding of what integration entails.
Mr. Atta cited a USAID-supported fistula project that developed a ‘fistula tracker’ system to monitor women’s care from diagnosis to rehabilitation. He emphasized how technology can drive integration, allowing for tracking patients across the continuum of care.
Challenges in Budgeting and Funding
Chika Offor, Chief Executive Officer, Vaccine Network for Disease Control, criticized the poor release of approved immunisation funds. She stated, “It is easy to budget one trillion naira for vaccines, but how much is released? As of 2024, only 25 per cent was released. In 2025, none has been released so far.” Ms. Offor advocated for ‘ring-fenced funding’ for immunisation and predictable financing through first-line charges and value-added tax (VAT) allocations.
Climate-Resilient Health Systems
Experts at another panel session urged government and private actors to scale up renewable energy solutions to power health facilities. Kene Terfa, President of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria, highlighted solar energy as a sustainable solution to Nigeria’s power challenges. He suggested that if communities take ownership and contribute one per cent of their resources, it will be possible to solarise primary health centres nationwide.
Temitayo Tella-Lah, Programme Manager and Programme Lead, Climate Adaptation in Health, Food Security and Nutrition, eHealth Africa, shared her organization’s experience of solarising 238 PHCs across 12 states. She emphasized the importance of advocacy and local ownership for sustainability. “”
Christopher Ipechika, CEO of Distinct Industrial Concern, stressed the role of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in maintenance and monitoring. From mobile devices, they can track whether a facility’s solar system is working. Training local technicians ensures long-term maintenance.
WHO Calls for Climate Financing for Health
Francis Ukweji, Senior Technical Lead on Health Financing at WHO, suggested that Nigeria can tap into global climate funds and green bonds to strengthen its health infrastructure. He listed several financing mechanisms, including carbon pricing, climate risk insurance, blended financing, and debt-for-climate swaps. With the ongoing review of the National Health Act, he proposed integrating climate financing into the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and health insurance programmes.
He added that linking performance-based financing with renewable energy adoption could unlock new funding streams for the health sector. “There’s room for private sector and donor collaboration. If we use the right mix of instruments, Nigeria can build a truly climate-resilient health system,” he said.