Nigeria @ 65: Healthcare System Progressing under Reforms – Tinubu

The President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), has said the country has made undeniable progress in expanding access to education and healthcare, since Independence in 1960.

He made this remark in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary

The President noted that when his administration took office in May 2023, it inherited “a near-collapsed economy” which left little fiscal space for investment in essential services such as healthcare. He explained that bold reforms including the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of exchange rates were necessary to redirect resources from wasteful expenditure into people-centred programmes.

“We chose the path of reform. We chose the path of tomorrow over the comfort of today. Less than three years later, the seeds of those difficult but necessary decisions are bearing fruit,” Tinubu said.

According to him, these policy shifts are now enabling federal, state, and local governments to have more resources at their disposal for grassroots development particularly in the health sector where stronger funding is needed to strengthen primary healthcare centres, equip hospitals, and support healthcare workers.

President Tinubu has also assured Nigerians that his administration’s reforms are gradually reshaping the nation’s healthcare landscape by freeing up resources for investment in hospitals, primary care, and social programmes that directly impact vulnerable citizens.

“At Independence, Nigerians had only limited access to schools and health facilities. Today, the story is remarkably different,” Tinubu said, pointing out that while in 1960 there were only two tertiary institutions, the country now boasts hundreds, alongside major improvements in health infrastructure and workforce development.

He stressed that the nation’s health system, though still facing challenges, has experienced “a significant surge in growth” since independence, alongside advances in infrastructure, technology, and social services.

Tinubu outlined that his administration is deliberately prioritising healthcare alongside education, agriculture, and social investments as part of its strategy to improve Nigerians’ quality of life.

He highlighted the government’s conditional cash transfer programme, under which billions of naira have already been disbursed to vulnerable households to ease the burden of rising living costs, many of which are linked to healthcare access and food security.

The President stressed that “nation-building will remain incomplete” until every Nigerian especially those in rural and underserved areas can access quality healthcare, adequate nutrition, and the social protection needed for a dignified life.

Tinubu urged Nigerians to see the difficult sacrifices of the past two years as part of a long-term investment in the future, pledging that his administration would continue to push reforms that create stronger foundations for health and social wellbeing.

“As we celebrate 65 years of independence, we must build the hospitals that will care for our people, expand schools for our children, and ensure that every family has a chance to live healthier and more productive lives,” he said.

The President concluded his health-focused remarks with renewed optimism, assuring Nigerians that his administration’s reforms are beginning to translate into real opportunities for improved healthcare, stronger social support, and better living conditions for millions across the country.