As Nigeria strives to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and strengthen its health system, the need for sustainable, domestically driven health financing has never been more urgent. To sustain national dialogue and build on recent reforms, Nigeria Health Watch, in partnership with Premium Times and The Punch, is convening a high-level webinar themed “Investing in Health in a Limited Fiscal Space,” on Wednesday, 29 October 2025, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM (WAT).
The event aims to consolidate key outcomes from the recently held National Health Financing Dialogue (NHFD), translating technical recommendations into actionable advocacy priorities for federal, state, and local actors.
Nigeria is at a critical juncture in advancing health financing reforms. Despite recent progress, public health spending remains inadequate, with out-of-pocket (OOP) payments accounting for 75–76% of total health expenditure among the highest globally. This situation continues to expose millions of households to catastrophic health costs.
Recognising these challenges, the Government of Nigeria launched the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) in 2023, anchored on a Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) to align all stakeholders under a unified investment framework. The SWAp seeks to consolidate fragmented financing, improve accountability, and promote both national and subnational ownership of health reforms.
At the same time, shifts in the global health funding landscape, including cuts in Official Development Assistance (ODA) and the evolving “America First” Global Health Strategy are redefining donor engagement in Africa. These developments underscore the urgency for Nigeria to accelerate its transition from aid dependency to a more resilient, self-sustaining health financing model.
Across the continent, initiatives such as the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit and the Accra Reset are reframing health as a sovereign investment, not charity. In this context, Nigeria’s NHFD represented a turning point, reframing health financing as a sovereign, economic, and investment agenda linked to the nation’s human capital and macroeconomic growth strategy.
About the Webinar
The upcoming webinar, “Investing in Health in a Limited Fiscal Space,” will bring together key government leaders, policymakers, development partners, civil society, media, and private sector stakeholders to sustain momentum from the NHFD.
Through a keynote presentation, solution-focused panel discussions, and an action-oriented close, the webinar will explore practical strategies to strengthen domestic resource mobilisation and budget efficiency, enhance accountability and coordination under the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), expand insurance and risk-pooling mechanisms, promote Health Technology Assessment (HTA) uptake, and support financing for mental health as well as local manufacturing of essential medicines and diagnostics.
Participants can expect to deepen national conversations on health financing, strengthen coordination among federal, state, and development partners, and build consensus on key priorities such as domestic resource mobilisation, accountability, insurance expansion, and local production. The dialogue will define actionable steps for Nigeria to respond to declining donor funding, align with Africa’s health sovereignty agenda, and produce a time-bound advocacy roadmap with clear asks, institutional leads, and follow-up mechanisms feeding into SWAp coordination and legislative engagement.
About the Conveners
Nigeria Health Watch uses evidence-based communications to influence health policy and inspire solutions that improve the Nigerian health sector. In collaboration with Premium Times and Punch, this initiative reinforces the media’s critical role in sustaining public discourse, shaping policy narratives, and holding stakeholders accountable for health sector reforms.
Learn more at www.nigeriahealthwatch.com
MEDIA CONTACT
Asari Ndem
Senior Communications Manager
08173476154