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Nigeria

Last Updated: August 30, 2011

Senior Program Officer:

Clifford Kamara, MD, MPH

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Program Activities:

  • February 2009: Program Officer Cliff Kamara and Dr. Michael McQuestion made introductory visits to Ministry of Health and GAVI partner agency counterparts.
  • October 2010: Director Mike McQuestion and Program Officer Cliff Kamara open Nigeria's First Briefing on sustainable immunization financing in Abuja.

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Health Sector Architecture:

  • Nigeria's public health infrastructure consists of a Federal Ministry of Health, six health zones, 37 state health ministries and about 1,300 health centers serving 774 Local Government Areas.
  • The Federal Ministry of Health directs Nigeria's essential public and curative health functions including laboratories, disease surveillance and 53 Federal Tertiary Hospitals. The Ministry generates national health policies, plans and norms and translates national policy to state and local levels. The Department of Health Planning and Research operates the National Health Management Information System, the aim of which is to produce information for evidence-based decisionmaking. This Unit tracks progress toward the Millennium Development Goals. The Ministry annually transfers federal funds for health to the states.
  • The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) is a parastatal institution that implements key PHC programs. The national immunization program in housed in its Department of Immunization. Its Department of Finance and Accounts reports immunization budget and expenditure data to the ICC.
  • Nigeria's 36 states each have a State Ministry of Health. Among other tasks, the state ministries are responsible for recruiting and training manpower, implementing the health information system and health sectoral reforms and mobilizing and allocating child health resources within states.
  • On 2 February 2009, the governors of Nigeria's 36 states agreed to the Abuja Commitments to Polio Eradication in Nigeria. Among the commitments, the governors agreed to quarterly public appearances, meetings with LGA Chairmen and traditional leaders and to increase resources for routine immunization. As of January 2010, the Federal Ministry of Health reported, the states had compiled an average score of 4.3 out of a possible 12 point score based on four of the Abuja Commitment indicators. (Source: Paper presented at the WHO/AFRO EPI Managers Meeting, Ouagadougou, 2010.)
  • Nigeria joined the IHP+ in May 2008. However, a country compact has not yet been signed. Read more here.

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    Health Financing:

    • In 2007, Nigerians spent US$131 per capita on health. Health accounted for 7% of recurrent government expenditures. (Source: Countdown to 2015 Report, 2010)
    • In 2008, Nigeria received US$277.2m in Official Development Assistance for health, down from US$517.8m in 2007. (Source: OECD Creditor Reporting System)
    • Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Relief:
      Nigeria does not participate in the HIPC Initiative.
    • Immunization Financing:
      • According to the WHO/UNICEF JRF, the Nigerian Government spent US$76.4m in 2006 on its routine immunization program, representing 87 percent of all routine immunization program spending.
      • According to the 2006-2010 cMYP, $77.2m were spent in 2005, specifically on routine immunization ($15 per infant born that year). Adding in shared health services expenditures to support the NIP increases this to $176.1m ($34 per infant). The government financed $60.3m of the specific routine NIP expenditures (34 percent), about $12 per infant.
      • Amount spent (USD) by the government of Nigeria on routine immunization per infant (2000-2010) Nigeria routine imm spend 2000 2010.jpg

        • Source:
        1. WHO Vaccine Preventable Disease Monitoring System, 2008. Immunization Profile: Nigeria. All data derived from the WHO/UNICEF Joint Reporting Form as follows:
        a: C_6450. This % excludes any external financing from donors.
        b: C_6490. This % includes all recurrent, immunization-specific spending financed solely with government funds. This includes vaccines, injection supplies, salaries, and per diems of health staff working full-time on immunization, transport, vehicles, and cold chain maintenance, training, social mobilization, and monitoring and surveillance.
        "NA" indicates data not available.

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Budgeting:

    Coming soon!

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    Budget Flows and Reporting:

    • The Federal Government is responsible for funding tertiary care, parastatals and vertical programs. State Governments fund secondary health services, and Primary Health Care services are funded by the Local Government Areas (LGAs), and also receive funding from parastatals and vertical programs.


      • (Source: Nigeria Health System Assessment 2008, USAID/ Abt. Associates)

      Budget Performance:

      • According to the latest data reported (2006) through the WHO/UNICEF Joint Reporting Form, the Nigerian Government spent US$ 96.6m to immunize about 5m infants, an investment of US$19/infant. This represented 87% of the routine EPI budget.
      • Country Policy and Institutional Assessment:
        The World Bank 2007 CPIA gave Nigeria's budget and financial management systems (Indicator #13) a score of 3.0, equal to its 2005 score. (mean 2007 score for all IDA countries: 3.2) Read more here.
    • Open Budget Index: Nigeria scored 19% out of 100% on the Open Budget Index 2008, indicating that the government makes public only scant budgetary information. Read more about the 2008 Index here.

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      Parliamentary Notes: