The Federal Government has disclosed that Nigeria secured over $1 billion in concessional financing and grants for health systems strengthening, through engagement with global partnerships.

Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako who made the disclosure yesterday while delivering the keynote address at the 2025 Business Day Health Conference in Abuja, however, noted more needs to be done in addressing out of pocket expenses for health and many other challenges bedevilling the health sector.

He said: “I must emphasise the pivotal role of strategic partnerships in this reform journey.

We have recalibrated our engagement with partners such as WHO, USAID, the World Bank, Global Fund, UNICEF, UNFPA, and GAVI to align with national priorities.

“Through these collaborations, we secured over $1 billion in concessional financing and grants for health systems strengthening, introduced innovations in vaccine logistics, maternal health, and pandemic preparedness.

Budgetary allocation for the health sector is on the upward trend while there are concerted efforts to improve domestic resource mobilisation and absorptive capacity of our health system.

“Nigeria’s health sector is undergoing a tectonic shift. The reforms we are implementing are not cosmetic; they are foundational.

They are designed to unlock the full potential of the healthcare value chain, drive inclusive growth, and position our nation as a regional leader in health sector innovation and resilience.

We are on the trajectory of progress with these reforms but I must submit that there is still a lot to be done.”

Salako, who maintained that the government alone cannot achieve the transformative ideas and innovations of the current administration, urged: “The private sector, civil society, academia, and sub-national governments to rise to the moment. Let us co-create solutions.”