CAPPA Highlights Nigeria's Health Sector Funding Gaps

The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has raised alarms over persistent funding gaps in Nigeria's health sector, attributing the issue to government shortcomings over the past decade. In a statement released on Tuesday, CAPPA's media communications officer, Robert Egb, noted that Nigeria's health budget allocations have consistently fallen short of the 15 percent benchmark established by the Abuja Declaration.

For instance, in January, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare reported an inability to implement its 2025 capital budget due to only N36 billion being released from an allocated N218 billion. Similarly, for 2024, only N26.552 billion was released from a budgeted N233.656 billion.

CAPPA's Executive Director, Akinbod Oluwafemi, emphasized that these funding gaps limit access to essential medicines and exacerbate the burden of non-communicable diseases. The organization urges the government to prioritize evidence-based policies, including a stronger sugar-sweetened beverage tax, to curb unhealthy consumption patterns and improve public health.