…Upgrades Zaria Health Centre
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a ₦17bn community-led development fund to drive grassroots interventions across Nigeria’s 8,804 wards.
The initiative, under a newly established Community-Based National Social Action Fund Taskforce, would see each ward identify and execute priority projects through verified community-based organisations.
Announcing the development in a statement on Wednesday, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said the funds would be released into a ring-fenced special intervention account to ensure transparency and accountability in implementation.
Speaking on the programme, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said the initiative would empower communities to take charge of their development needs.
He said: “This approach places communities at the centre of development. By enabling each ward to identify and implement its priority needs, we are unlocking practical solutions that directly improve livelihoods and strengthen service delivery where it matters most.”
He explained that the interventions would cut across key social sectors, including health, nutrition, education, and sanitation.
“Interventions may include community nutrition support, provision of essential health commodities such as micronutrients and therapeutic foods, as well as minor infrastructure improvements in schools, health facilities, and sanitation systems,” he added.
The President also approved a timeline for the programme, which commenced on March 1, 2026, and is expected to run through December 2026, with a Programme Management Unit domiciled in the ministry’s Sector-Wide Approach Coordination Office to oversee execution.
According to the statement signed by Assistant Director Information and Public Relations at the ministry, Ado Bako, the taskforce would be chaired by Pate and includes top government officials such as the Ministers of Finance and Humanitarian Affairs, as well as representatives from key agencies including the Bureau of Public Procurement, Budget Office, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
“The involvement of oversight and accountability institutions is deliberate to ensure that funds are utilised effectively and that projects deliver measurable impact at the community level,” the minister noted.
In a related development, Tinubu also approved the upgrade of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Training Centre in Zaria to the National Institute of Public Health and Infectious Diseases.
The ministry said the move was aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s capacity in disease surveillance, emergency preparedness, and response to infectious disease outbreaks.
“The Institute will function as a multidisciplinary hub for public health training, research, and workforce development, expanding access to advanced learning and strengthening the country’s readiness to manage infectious disease threats,” Pate stated.
The approvals, the government said, align with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda focused on improving public health outcomes and accelerating socio-economic development at the grassroots.
