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Tinubu Government Targets $150 Billion to Fund Vaccine Procurement and Strengthen Nigeria’s Health Sector

By Enemona Samuel Endurance | The Bureau News

ABUJA — Nigeria News Today: The Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has unveiled plans to raise nearly $150 billion to finance vaccine procurement for 2025 and 2026, as part of a renewed drive to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system and boost immunisation coverage nationwide.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, announced this on Wednesday during the 2025 Joint Annual Review of the Health Sector, themed “All Hands, One Mission: Bringing the Nigerian Health Sector to Light.”

Health Budget Up by 60% — Edun

According to Edun, the Federal Government has substantially increased funding for the health sector in the 2025 fiscal year, marking a 60% rise in the budget compared to 2024.

“The health sector budget in 2025 rose by nearly 60 per cent, and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund has more than doubled from ₦31.5 billion in 2024 to ₦298 billion in 2026,” Edun stated.

He added that efforts were underway to mobilize an additional $150 billion specifically for vaccine procurement for 2025 and 2026, reflecting the administration’s commitment to universal health access.

“Health now accounts for 5.2% of the national budget, up from just over three per cent a few years ago. Our commitment is to close the gap between appropriation and release of funds,” he said, according to PUNCH.

Government to Reduce Dependence on Foreign Aid

Edun underscored the need for increased domestic resource mobilisation and stronger participation from state and local governments, noting that “reforms and funding will be ineffective without their involvement.”

In his remarks, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, emphasized that the Federal Government is focused on reducing dependency on foreign donors while promoting local pharmaceutical production and innovation.

“We are promoting local solutions and encouraging states to invest more in health, education, sanitation, and nutrition. This aligns with the President’s ward-based development strategy for community upliftment,” Pate said.

Primary Health Utilization Surges to 45 Million Visits

Pate revealed that primary healthcare utilization rose from 10 million visits in Q1 2024 to 45 million visits in Q2 2025, highlighting renewed public confidence in the system.

He noted that nearly half of Nigerian women of reproductive age now use modern contraception, while vaccination coverage for measles, rubella, and the HPV vaccine has met or exceeded national targets.

New Fiscal Measures and Partnerships Underway

The government is also exploring new financing strategies, including fiscal measures on sugar-sweetened beverages, public-private partnerships (PPPs), and digital solutions to improve transparency and accountability in healthcare funding.

Pate concluded that all 36 states and the FCT now operate under aligned health plans, with 774 local governments hosting National Health Fellows and Public Financial Management Officers — a milestone achievement in the country’s health governance framework.

Source: The Bureau News

We need revenue generation.

Not someone to tell us where the budget needs to go.

Clown. $150b of vaccine for how much gdp/economy abi na typo from media house i dey see so?

Chai... who do Nigeria?

malali:
We need revenue generation.

Not someone to tell us where the budget needs to go.

You will be told where the budget needs to go as long as stoning of devils while people are sick n hungry exists. Whether you love or not the governors will take most of their N250B largesse out of the economy. Rice will be shared for religous festivals. Rams too. Imams will be paid.

I can't wait to vote against this lying grandpa from this office

Another borrowing spree loading……..
I wonder between tinubu and Buhari who is more clueless and empty?

What about all the revenue generated?

Or is this another excuse to widen the tax net?

Barawo banza
Thieves parading themselves as leaders

Tinubu has nothing to offer this country. Apart from tax and subsidy removal, which other way has he introduced for this country to generate money?

It's only a disgraced country like Nigeria that its worst citizens hold the most sensitive positions.

This must be a typo. $150bn for vaccine? What's Nigeria's total GDP?

Foolish journalism. $150b kor, $100t ni

Eh? Since 1960 till date has Nigeria spent up to 10 billion dollars on vaccines? Is it the less than 2 million babies Nigerians have yearly that we now need 150 billion dollars for? I'm sure there must have been an error somewhere.

My question is: What currency are we using in this "disgraced" country??
Naira or dollar??

This is the real genocide nobody is talking about.
They're planning COVID 25

Tinubu should go ahead and borrow it biko, at least that's why he is on power... They recently approved one this one is another.

After this they will still approve another one.

The good news is that na Nigeria go suffer am while Biafra is coming so is Oduduwa Republic

What

Another thievery being disguised as humantarian health aid. This is people that shamelessly go abroad to seek healthcare

I believe Nigeria should prioritize investing in human development over securing massive loans to purchase vaccines. The staggering sums being discussed reaching up to $150 billion raise serious questions, especially when a more sustainable path is available.

Instead of perpetual dependency, we should fund our brightest minds to study and conduct research abroad, with the mandate to return and build our domestic capacity. This requires implementing policies that protect and incentivize such research and development.

Furthermore, since the formulas for many vaccines are public knowledge, we should focus on building state-of-the-art research laboratories ( even one ) to develop them locally. This strategy of cultivating homegrown expertise, researcher and infrastructure is what truly builds a nation. Real development is not just about infrastructure; it's about investing in the people who create and sustain it.