Health

Nigeria’s healthcare system stands at a critical point, where the ability of citizens to access quality and affordable care is increasingly under threat. A nation cannot truly prosper when the health and wellbeing of its people are compromised.

Today, the system is burdened by deep structural challenges including chronic underfunding, a worsening shortage of medical professionals driven by brain drain, and deteriorating healthcare infrastructure. For many Nigerians, even basic healthcare has become difficult to access, as rising costs of treatment and medication continue to place significant pressure on households.

Healthcare delivery has therefore become increasingly unequal, inefficient, and out of reach for the average Nigerian, especially those who cannot afford private medical services.

However, these challenges also present an opportunity for urgent reform, stronger investment, and a more accountable health system that puts people first.

Major issues in the health sector include:

• Medical Workforce Collapse and Brain Drain: Nigeria is experiencing a severe shortage of healthcare professionals as doctors, nurses, and specialists continue to migrate in large numbers to countries such as the UK, USA, and Canada, a trend that has reached a critical level of concern. With about 0.4 doctors per 1,000 people—far below the WHO benchmark of 1 per 600—the country is now facing a deep healthcare workforce crisis. This situation is driven by poor remuneration, with medical workers earning significantly higher incomes abroad, unsafe and overstretched working conditions, and limited opportunities for professional advancement. In addition, recurring strikes caused by unpaid salaries and poor welfare conditions continue to disrupt public hospitals and weaken healthcare delivery nationwide.
• Financial Barriers and Chronic Underfunding: Nigeria’s healthcare system is severely constrained by inadequate funding and high out-of-pocket expenditure, with about 70% to 77% of total health costs paid directly by citizens, pushing many families into poverty. Federal health spending remains between 4% and 6% of the national budget, far below the 15% Abuja Declaration benchmark, weakening system capacity and limiting the quality-of-service delivery for the Nigerian people. The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) currently covers less than 5% of the population, mostly federal government workers, leaving the vast majority of Nigerians without financial protection for healthcare. With about 63% of Nigerians living in poverty, access to healthcare has become increasingly unaffordable and inaccessible, reinforcing a deep structural crisis in the system and a need for reforms.
• Inadequate Equipment and Infrastructure: Nigeria’s healthcare system continues to suffer from weak infrastructure and limited medical equipment, leaving between 40% and 52% of citizens without reliable access to functional primary healthcare services despite over 30,000 PHC facilities nationwide, of which only about 20% are fully operational due to shortages of funding, drugs, equipment, and personnel. Many primary healthcare centres lack basic necessities such as stable electricity, clean water, essential medicines, and diagnostic tools like CT scanners, limiting effective service delivery at the community level. Due to persistent system gaps, wealthy Nigerians spend over $1 billion annuallyseeking medical care abroad, reflecting declining confidence in local healthcare services and widening inequality in access to quality treatment, which the average Nigerian citizen cannot afford.
• Growing Health Burden on Nigerians: Nigeria continues to face a dual burden of disease, with persistent infectious diseases and a rising prevalence of non-communicable conditions. Malaria remains one of the leading causes of death, alongside neonatal disorders, diarrhoeal diseases, and respiratory infections. At the same time, there is a growing increase in hypertension affecting about 30% of adults, diabetes, and cancers such as breast and cervical cancer. Maternal and child health outcomes remain critical, with Nigeria recording one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally, accounting for about 10% of pregnancy-related deaths worldwide.
• Structural Weaknesses in the Health System: The healthcare system is further weakened by deep structural and social challenges. There are stark disparities in access to care between urban centres such as Lagos and rural or northern communities, where specialist services are often unavailable. Mismanagement of resources and the presence of “ghost workers” continue to drain the system, resulting in inadequate medical supplies and reduced service quality. In addition, insecurity in several regions, including insurgency and banditry, has led to the destruction of health facilities and placed healthcare workers at risk of kidnapping, further limiting access to care in affected areas.

Solution

A Makinde Administration believes healthcare should work for every Nigerian, not just a privileged few. A strong nation is built on the health and wellbeing of its people, and access to quality care must never be a privilege.

Addressing Nigeria’s healthcare challenges will require bold, systemic reforms focused on sustainable financing, stronger institutions, and a more motivated health workforce. At the centre of this reform is the revitalisation of primary healthcare as the foundation for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) across the country.

Seyi Makinde will rebuild and reform the Nigeria Healthcare sector through:

• Medical Workforce Retention and System Strengthening: Through a Makinde Administration, Nigeria’s healthcare workforce will be strengthened by improving pay, welfare, and working conditions to retain doctors, nurses, and specialists and curb brain drain. Building on the recruitment of over 3,900 health workers in Oyo State, this approach will be scaled nationally to close critical staffing gaps. The administration will expand training, increase recruitment, and ensure fair deployment across urban and rural areas, while prioritising timely payment, better workplace support, and modern hospital infrastructure to restore stability and improve service delivery nationwide.
• Health Financing and Financial Protection: Through a Makinde Administration, healthcare financing will be strengthened by increasing public investment, improving efficiency, and ensuring transparent management of health funds to reduce the financial burden on citizens. Building on proven reforms such as the Oyo State Health Insurance Agency (OYSHIA), health insurance coverage will be expanded beyond the formal sector to protect more Nigerians from catastrophic out-of-pocket expenses. The administration will prioritise primary healthcare funding, ensure timely and accountable release of key health resources, and leverage public-private partnerships to upgrade infrastructure, expand medical equipment, and deliver more affordable and accessible healthcare nationwide.
• Primary Healthcare Strengthening and Infrastructure Renewal: Through a Makinde Administration, Nigeria’s primary healthcare system will be aggressively revitalised to ensure that health centres become fully functional and accessible to the majority of citizens. This will include the renovation and upgrading of dilapidated facilities, provision of essential medical equipment, reliable electricity, clean water, and medicines to restore effective service delivery at the community level. Primary healthcare centres will also be repositioned to serve as effective first points of care, reducing pressure on overcrowded tertiary hospitals, while community-based health programmes will be expanded to strengthen local health outreach and early intervention.
• Modernised Healthcare Delivery and Disease Response: Through a Makinde Administration, Nigeria’s healthcare system will be modernised to improve access, early detection, and response to both infectious and non-communicable diseases. Digital health tools such as telemedicine and AI-driven systems will be deployed to expand access to care in underserved and rural communities, while a fully digitised health records system will improve continuity of care, reduce delays in treatment, and strengthen disease tracking and response. At the same time, greater investment in preventive healthcare and primary health systems will strengthen the response to malaria, maternal and child health challenges, and rising conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. Local production of essential medicines and equipment will also be prioritised to improve availability and reduce dependence on imports.
• Equitable Access, Accountability and Health System Security: Through a Makinde Administration, deep structural gaps in healthcare delivery will be addressed by strengthening governance, accountability, and equitable access across all regions. Strong monitoring systems will be introduced to eliminate resource mismanagement and “ghost workers,” while community-based oversight will improve transparency and service delivery at the grassroots level. The administration will also prioritise reducing inequality in healthcare access between urban and rural communities through fair distribution of medical personnel and infrastructure. In addition, healthcare delivery in insecurity-affected regions will be strengthened through protected service points and improved coordination to ensure continuity of care even in vulnerable areas, ensuring no Nigerian is left behind.

Healthcare must work for everyone, not a privileged few. Rebuilding Nigeria’s healthcare system with bold reforms is possible where every citizen has access to affordable and quality care without financial hardship or denied treatment due to poverty. A Makinde Administration can reposition Nigeria’s health sector in a new direction, where efficiency, fairness, and access are guaranteed for all.

This is beyond Change, it is Restructuring.

Vote Seyi Makinde for President in the 2027 election.

Let the system work for you, not against you.

Join us to Reset Nigeria together.