AdvoKC Foundation has urged the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to prioritise the passage of the National Health Act (Amendment) Bill, warning that further delays could prevent increased funding for primary healthcare from being captured in the 2027 Appropriation....
AdvoKC Foundation has urged the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to prioritise the passage of the National Health Act (Amendment) Bill, warning that further delays could prevent increased funding for primary healthcare from being captured in the 2027 Appropriation.
The foundation said the bill, which seeks to at least double the share of the Consolidated Revenue Fund allocated to the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), had been awaiting concurrence by the House of Representatives since the Senate passed its version on April 23, 2026.
In a statement signed by its Communications Manager, Luqman Adamu, the foundation called on the House leadership to schedule the bill for consideration and ensure that the legislative process is completed before another recess.
The bill must still secure the House’s concurrence, undergo harmonisation where necessary and receive presidential assent before it can become law.
AdvoKC expressed concern over the shrinking legislative window ahead of the 2027 general elections, noting that timely passage and assent could allow the proposed funding increase to influence the next year’s budget.
The foundation recalled that the House resumed plenary on September 29 after an extended annual recess and subsequently adjourned until October 13, raising concerns about the time available to conclude the legislative process.
The Basic Health Care Provision Fund was established under Section 11 of the National Health Act 2014 to support essential healthcare services, particularly at the primary healthcare level.
Under the existing framework, 50 per cent of the fund is allocated through the National Health Insurance Authority for the provision of a basic minimum package of health services, while 45 per cent goes through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to support essential drugs, vaccines, equipment and primary healthcare facilities.
The remaining five per cent is allocated to emergency medical treatment.
Citing a Federal Ministry of Health response to a Freedom of Information request reported by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), AdvoKC said the Federal Government disbursed N32.88 billion under the fund in the first half of 2025, with N16.44 billion released in each of the first two quarters.
The same response reportedly identified 1,164 facilities on the fund’s beneficiary list as only partly functional, representing approximately one in seven facilities.
The foundation also noted that concerns about the implementation of the fund had previously been raised in the House of Representatives through a motion listed on the Order Paper on October 18, 2023.
While acknowledging that doubling the fund’s statutory allocation would not, on its own, resolve Nigeria’s healthcare challenges, AdvoKC argued that increased funding would provide a stronger financial foundation for the country’s primary healthcare system.
It, however, stressed that the benefits would depend on the timely appropriation and release of funds, as well as effective implementation and accountability.
The foundation further
highlighted the burden of out-of-pocket healthcare spending on Nigerians, noting that primary healthcare centres remain the only accessible source of medical services for many communities.
AdvoKC called on Abbas and the House leadership to place the bill on the Order Paper, direct the House Committee on Healthcare Services to conclude its work without delay, and publicly commit to a timeline for concurrence and harmonisation with the Senate.
It also urged the House not to proceed on another recess without addressing the proposed amendment.
“The Senate has done its part,” the foundation’s Project Director, Habib Sheidu, said.
“The question now is whether the House will treat primary healthcare as urgent business or as something that can wait for the next resumption.
“Nigerians in communities where the health centre is the only option cannot afford another adjournment without action. We are asking the Speaker to schedule this Bill and to tell Nigerians when it will be done.”
The foundation said it had advocated for the bill during the Senate committee stage and remained committed to ensuring its passage, presidential assent and implementation.