World Bank Calls for Sustained Health Investments in Nigeria

The World Bank has called on Nigerian state governments to take ownership of investments made under the Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services project. Matthew Verghis, the World Bank Country Representative, made this statement at the IMPACT End-of-Project Dissemination and Transition Forum during the 2026 Joint Annual Review of the health sector.

He noted that the project successfully reduced under-five mortality from 132 to 110 deaths per 1,000 live births and decreased malaria prevalence among children under five from 22 percent to 15 percent. Additionally, the proportion of fully vaccinated children aged 12 to 23 months rose from 31 percent to 39.7 percent.

Verghis reported that over 2,600 primary healthcare facilities were upgraded, and more than $20 million was allocated to support operational needs. The project also engaged over 15,000 health workers, who were later absorbed by state governments, and equipped over 6,000 facilities with laptops for digital reporting.