The debate over Nigeria’s low health budget is no longer new, but experts say that the real issue lies in how effectively the country manages its existing resources.
In 2025, Nigeria allocated N2.48 trillion to healthcare, a 58.5 percent increase from the previous year, accounting for just 5.18 percent of the national budget, far below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 15 percent benchmark.
This issue is not unique to Nigeria alone. Across Africa, only eight of 47 African WHO-member countries spent at least $249 per capita between 201
The debate over Nigeria’s low health budget is no longer new, but experts say that the real issue lies in how effectively the country manages its existing resources.
In 2025, Nigeria allocated N2.48 trillion to healthcare, a 58.5 percent increase from the previous year, accounting for just 5.18 percent of the national budget, far below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 15 percent benchmark.
This issue is not unique to Nigeria alone. Across Africa, only eight of 47 African WHO-member countries spent at least $249 per capita between 201