Nigeria’s healthcare system came under fresh scrutiny on Wednesday as stakeholders warned that rising medical costs and persistent maternal deaths continue to threaten access to quality care across the country.

The warning came during the 2026 Annual Conference of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria in Lagos, themed “Transforming Healthcare: Leveraging Private Sector Innovation to Achieve Quality Outcomes and Universal Health Coverage,” where government officials, private sector leaders, healthcare providers and development partners gathered to discuss reforms needed to strengthen the health sector.

Representing the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta, Dr Saheed Ogunme, said stronger collaboration between the government and the private sector is necessary to transform the healthcare system and move Nigeria closer to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

According to him, Nigeria’s growing population, now estimated at more than 220 million people, continues to put enormous pressure on healthcare infrastructure, workforce capacity and financing systems.

“The theme of this conference speaks directly to the defining challenge and opportunity of our time. Transformation is not a theoretical ambition but a practical necessity, and innovation and partnership are indispensable to achieving universal health coverage for all Nigerians,” he said.

Salako noted that Nigeria still accounts for nearly one in five maternal deaths globally, describing the situation as a major concern that requires urgent policy action and coordinated reforms across the health sector.

He also raised concerns about the country’s heavy reliance on direct payments for healthcare, revealing that out-of-pocket spending accounts for more than 70 per cent of total health expenditure in Nigeria.

“This means millions of Nigerians face catastrophic health expenses and are at risk of being pushed into poverty because of illness. These realities underscore why health reform is not optional; it is urgent,” he said.

The minister explained that the Federal Government’s health agenda between 2026 and 2030 will prioritise improving the quality of care, strengthening emergency medical systems, expanding health insurance coverage and deepening collaboration with the private sector.

He emphasised that expanding access to healthcare services must go hand in hand with improving the quality of care delivered to patients.

“Expanding access without strengthening quality will not yield the outcomes we desire. Poor quality care contributes significantly to preventable morbidity and mortality,” Salako said.

He added that the government is working to strengthen emergency response through the National Emergency Medical and Ambulance Service, noting that efficient systems are critical during medical emergencies.

“In many instances, survival during medical emergencies depends not only on clinical expertise but also on the efficiency of systems. No Nigerian should lose their life because emergency care was inaccessible, delayed or unaffordable,” he stated.

Declaring the conference open, Salako reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for responsible investment and innovation in the health sector.

“Together, we can build a Nigeria where quality healthcare is not the privilege of a few but the guaranteed right of all,” he said.

In her remarks, President of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria, Mrs Njide Ndili, said the private sector remains committed to supporting government efforts to strengthen the country’s healthcare system through research-driven investment and policy engagement.

Ndili disclosed that the federation collaborated with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group to conduct a comprehensive survey aimed at identifying priority areas where private sector investment could support national health objectives.

“For the private sector, we felt that we needed evidence-based data and information that would guide not just investment but policy. Whatever we do must be driven by research and reliable information,” she said.

She described the report produced from the study as the first of its kind, explaining that it provides practical insights into how private sector resources can align with government health programmes.

Also speaking, a global health expert and Associate Fellow at Chatham House, Dr Ebere Okereke, said Nigeria must create stable and predictable policies that encourage private sector participation if the country hopes to achieve universal health coverage.

“The private sector must become project-ready and policymakers must create credible, predictable rules that reward the right behaviours,” Okereke said.

“If we do that together, universal health coverage in Nigeria will stop being a slogan and start becoming a lived reality for millions of people.”

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, said the state government has begun major reforms aimed at addressing shortages in healthcare personnel, infrastructure and financing.

According to him, Lagos currently has about 7,000 doctors, far below the estimated 30,000 required to adequately serve the state’s growing population.

“We have a significant shortage of healthcare professionals. That is why Lagos is embarking on healthcare financing reforms that address human resources, infrastructure, insurance, policy and data,” he said.

Abayomi added that the state government had passed a bill establishing a stand-alone University of Medicine and Health Sciences to increase the number of trained healthcare professionals.

“We plan to ramp up admissions from about 200 to about 2,000 annually within the next three to four years to meet the growing demand for healthcare professionals,” he said.

He further noted that Lagos is investing heavily in health infrastructure and digital health systems.