Federal Government Approves ₦40.76bn for Health and Extends Insurance to 90,000 Inmates

Nigeria’s Federal Government approved ₦40.76 billion from the Basic Health Care Provision Fund for the third quarter of 2026, an increase of ₦7.88 billion from the previous quarter. Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate said the funds would be shared among four agencies and support would expand from 8,309 to 13,521 primary healthcare facilities. The oversight committee also approved health insurance for about 90,000 inmates, excluding those already covered by state schemes. It approved pooled medicine procurement and considered phased financing to recruit skilled birth attendants and community health workers.