The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has disclosed that only ₦36 million was released from the ₦218 billion capital budget allocated to the health sector in 2025.
Pate made the revelation on Monday during the 2026 budget defence session before the House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare Services in Abuja.
According to the minister, the extremely low release of capital funds significantly affected the execution of hospital upgrades and other health infrastructure projects across the country.
He explained that while the ministry’s personnel budget was fully released and utilised, the capital component suffered due to the bottom-up cash planning system operated by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
Pate also cited delays in the payment of counterpart funds as a major obstacle that prevented the ministry from accessing some project funds tied to external financing arrangements.
“The capital budget performance was severely constrained by challenges in fund releases and delays in counterpart funding,” he told lawmakers.
The minister noted that Nigeria’s health policies are guided by Vision 20:2020, the Medium-Term National Development Plan (2021–2025), the National Strategic Health Development Plan II, the Constitution, and the National Health Act, all of which seek to guarantee access to healthcare for Nigerians.
He added that the principles of Universal Health Coverage, with strong emphasis on Primary Health Care, remain central to government policy.
Pate said the 2026 budget proposal was prepared in line with the 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper, and aligned with the National Development Plan and the Tinubu administration’s policy direction.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the House Committee on Healthcare Services, Rep. Amos Magaji, requested that the ministry submit detailed records of donor funds received and how they were utilised.
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