The ongoing health sector reforms in Nigeria are earning international recognition as the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, presented the country’s recent achievements at several high-level sessions during the 2025 World Bank IMF Annual Meetings in Washington D.C.
Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the World Bank’s Health Works Global Leaders Coalition, convened by World Bank President Ajay Banga, Pate joined global health leaders to explore strategies for expanding access to affordable healthcare, strengthening domestic health financing, and advancing local pharmaceutical production.
In his presentation, the minister highlighted how Nigeria’s comprehensive health reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda are delivering measurable results.
“Nigeria is charting the way forward for many countries in accelerating access to affordable, quality healthcare,” Prof. Pate stated in a video update from Washington. “The dialogue we’ve begun here will translate into additional resources to provide care for our citizens.”
Prof. Pate reported a significant increase in patient visits to the 8,500 revitalised Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the country, funded through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), marking a strong improvement from 2023 figures. He also disclosed that over 70,000 frontline health workers have been retrained, and more than 20 million Nigerians are now covered under the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) scheme, reflecting sustained progress toward universal health coverage.
He further emphasised the success of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), a cross-sectoral programme designed to stimulate local manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and test kits. The initiative, he noted, is fast gaining international attention as a model for healthcare reform that creates jobs, enhances productivity, and strengthens national self-reliance.
According to Pate, these milestones were made possible by the macroeconomic reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which have empowered states to fully participate in a harmonised, well-funded national health compact aligning federal, state, and local efforts under one framework.
During a separate meeting with the CEO of the Wellcome Trust, one of the world’s largest philanthropic organisations in health and biotechnology, Prof. Pate discussed the evolving global health landscape, which increasingly values country ownership and leadership.
“The reforms undertaken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are being acknowledged globally,” he said. “Countries and partners now look to Nigeria as an example of how leadership, evidence, and partnership can drive real impact. Nigerians should be proud of this.”
Nigeria’s active participation in the 2025 World Bank IMF Meetings underscores its renewed global credibility and leadership in shaping discussions around health systems reform, sustainable financing, and universal health coverage.
