The Federal Government has released N68 billion for vaccine procurement and deployed N50 billion to clear outstanding arrears for health workers.

The announcement was made by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, on Thursday during the 66th meeting of the National Council on Health in Calabar, Cross River State. The meeting was held under the theme, “My health, my right: Accelerating universal health coverage through equity, resilience, and innovation.”

Pate stated that the N68 billion has already been credited to the account of the National Primary Health Care Agency, with the Central Bank of Nigeria set to process the funds for UNICEF.

The move aligns with ongoing efforts by the federal and state governments to advance Universal Health Coverage and strengthen primary healthcare systems across the country.

The National Council on Health, a high-level governance body responsible for shaping and coordinating national health policies, brings together federal and state health leaders to assess progress and set strategic directions for the sector.

Pate emphasized the need for both federal and state governments to effectively utilize available resources to improve the health and well-being of Nigerians.

“From the Federal Government side, I have good news. Last week, we received approval for N68 billion for vaccine financing, which was credited to the Primary Health Care Agency, and the CBN will begin processing it for UNICEF. This demonstrates the government’s commitment to health spending,” he said.

He added that N50 billion has been deployed to settle arrears owed to health workers from previous years. Pate urged states to mirror this commitment by not only allocating more resources to health but also ensuring they are effectively utilized.

Last week, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, announced plans to raise nearly N150 billion to fund vaccine procurement for 2025 and 2026. He stressed the federal government’s commitment to bridging the gap between budget appropriation and fund release and encouraged states to increase their health sector allocations.

Pate urged states to raise their health budgets by at least 1 percent in 2026 compared to 2025, highlighting the importance of investing in primary healthcare, hospitals, medical equipment, vaccines, and reproductive health commodities.

“As we move forward, we aim for faster progress toward universal health coverage. Quality healthcare requires investment. We are advocating for at least a 0.6 percent increase in the federal health budget next year, bringing it closer to six percent of total allocations. We hope each state will also increase its contribution by at least one percent relative to 2025,” Pate said.

Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State, represented by his Deputy Peter Odey, reaffirmed the council’s role as the highest decision-making body on health matters in Nigeria. He stressed the need for full commitment to policy implementation and emphasized that strengthening primary healthcare, building a sustainable health workforce, and expanding health and social insurance schemes are critical to achieving Universal Health Coverage.