BREAKING NEWS: Tinubu presents 2025 budget, allocates N2.48tn to health sector

The proposed budget totals N47.9 trillion, with a projected revenue target of N34.82 trillion, leaving a deficit of N13.08 trillion.  

In the breakdown, Tinubu announced an allocation of N2.48 trillion to the health sector, representing 5.2 per cent of the total budget. 

This falls short of the Abuja Declaration target of 15 per cent for health funding but reflects his administration’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery across the country.  

The ICIR reports that in 2001, the African Union (AU) member states met in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, and agreed to devote 15 per cent of their yearly budgets to health. However, over the years, Nigeria has struggled to provide good health for its citizens, as funding for the sector has often been much lower than expected.

The 2025 proposed health budget, in its further breakdown by the President, includes N402 billion for health infrastructure and N282.65 billion for the Basic Health Care Fund.

The health infrastructure allocation constitutes 16.2 per cent of the total health budget, while the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) accounts for 11.4 per cent. BREAKING NEWS| VIDEO GOES VIRAL NOW| HANDSOME MAN TATTOOS HIS GIRLFRIENDS NAME ON HIS FACE TO PROVE HIS LOVE FOR HER.

This means that, again, the health sector recurrent will consume the larger part of the fund. 

“We are convinced that Universal Health Coverage initiatives will strengthen primary healthcare systems across Nigeria. In this way, we have allocated 402 billion naira for infrastructure investments in the health sector in the 2025 Budget and another 282.65 billion naira for the Basic Health Care Fund,” Tinubu said, adding that “Our hospitals will be revitalised with medication and better resources, ensuring quality care for all Nigerians.”

The President noted that the objective was consistent with the Federal Government’s planned procurement of essential drugs for distribution to public healthcare facilities nationwide, improving healthcare access and reducing medical import dependency.

Tinubu stressed the importance of addressing Nigeria’s pressing challenges, including insecurity, poverty, and unemployment, while promising reforms to stabilise the economy.  

The budget comes amid rising inflation, currently at 34.6 per cent, with the president targeting a reduction to 15 per cent in 2025. 

The President assured Nigerians of better days ahead, saying, “This 2025 budget proposal lays the foundation for peace, prosperity, and much-needed hope.”  

While the allocation to health falls short of the Abuja declaration, The ICIR can report that it’s an increase from the percentage approved for the sector in 2024.

In January, President Bola Tinubu approved N28.78 trillion as fiscal appropriation for 2024 of which N1.34 trillion was allocated to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, representing 4.64 per cent of the budget.

When broken down, the ministry had a personnel expenditure of N771.56 billion,  N121.76 billion for overhead, and N542.95 billion for capital expenditure.

Also, in 2023, the allocation to healthcare was N1.17 trillion, representing 4.91 of the total 421.8 trillion naira budget. 

In 2022, with a total expenditure of N17.14 trillion, only 4.23 per cent of the total budget was allocated to health, while in 2021, the sector got 4.05 per cent of the budget.BREAKING NEWS| VIDEO GOES VIRAL NOW| HANDSOME MAN TATTOOS HIS GIRLFRIENDS NAME ON HIS FACE TO PROVE HIS LOVE FOR HER.