In 2025, Nigeria made significant strides in its health sector reforms.
Key achievements included the training of over 23,000 additional frontline health workers, which raised the total number of trained professionals to 78,146 over a two-year period.
This information was revealed in the 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report, released by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday.
The report was produced by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, as mandated by the National Health Act of 2014.
It comprehensively assesses advancements under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Sector-Wide Approach to health investment coordination and reforms.
The report indicated that these trained frontline health workers account for 65 percent of the federal government’s target of 120,000 health workers aimed at enhancing service delivery, especially at primary healthcare centers.
Moreover, the report highlighted essential improvements in financial protection for Nigerian citizens through expanded health insurance initiatives. The number of those covered by some form of health insurance increased from 19.2 million in 2024 to 21.7 million in 2025, reflecting an approximate 13 percent national coverage.
Additionally, it detailed the government's commitment to fully implement mandatory health insurance policies.
The data further shows that capitation and fee-for-service payments saw increases of 93 percent and 378 percent respectively, in alignment with current economic conditions to ensure continued care sustainability.
The Basic Health Care Provision Fund 2.0 was launched in October 2025, which incorporated new fiduciary and operational reforms that managed to enroll about 2.7 million Nigerians by the end of 2025.
In the area of maternal and newborn healthcare, the report stated that the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) established partnerships with over 200 health facilities to enhance access to Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) for marginalized and vulnerable women.
CEmONC services were accessed by 19,270 women nationwide, with 20,486 claims reimbursed to 186 facilities, while 242 health centers across Nigeria have been incorporated into the maternal care component.
Moreover, a neonatal care initiative was launched at seven facilities in Kano and Lagos in September 2025.
Emergency response measures also saw considerable improvement, as the State Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System addressed 26,431 maternal emergencies across the nation. Additionally, the Rural Emergency Services for Maternal and Newborn Transport scheme assisted 34,331 pregnant women and newborns across 124 local government areas through specialized rural transport systems.
Improvements in disease prevention and treatment programs were also highlighted; Nigeria commenced the rollout of the malaria vaccine in Bayelsa and Kebbi states, marking major headway in the fight against malaria.
Furthermore, the HIV treatment program successfully maintained coverage above 87 percent and achieved viral suppression rates exceeding 95 percent, which has contributed to a steady decrease in new infections.
In terms of health security, the federal government initiated the second National Action Plan for health security, focusing on the integration of disease surveillance, immunization, and veterinary services into a unified emergency response framework.
The MSDAT digital platform was also launched, providing interactive dashboards for monitoring health system performance and care quality.
In its attempt to bolster local health product manufacturing, the report unveiled a tax waiver exceeding N6 billion, courtesy of the Presidential Executive Order on Health Products, which has positively impacted 47 pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Additionally, new establishments, such as a Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) facility from Codix Bio and a syringe manufacturing plant capable of producing 750,000 units daily, have been inaugurated.
The report also mentioned that 37 pharmaceutical facilities are currently undergoing upgrades to comply with international Good Manufacturing Practice standards, while 38 percent of publicly procured medicines and health commodities have been sourced locally.
As part of efforts to reinforce medical supply chains and combat counterfeit medications, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control confiscated and destroyed over N1 trillion worth of prohibited, expired, and substandard medical products throughout 2025.
Overall, these measures align with a broader reform agenda focused on enhancing governance, financing, and service delivery as outlined in the Health Sector Strategic Blueprint (2023–2027).
This reform strategy aims at improving maternal and child health, accelerating immunization efforts, expanding health insurance coverage, and enhancing preparedness for pandemics.
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