…Raises alarm over family planning, nutrition funding

The Jigawa Maternal Accountability Forum (JiMAF) has expressed concern over the slow implementation of the state’s 2026 health sector budget, warning that inadequate funding for critical programmes such as family planning, nutrition and malaria control could undermine efforts to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality.

Speaking while presenting the Forum’s 2026 Second Quarter (Q2) Health Sector Budget Performance Review, JiMAF Co-Chair, Isah Mustapha, said the assessment was conducted with support from the Lafiya Programme as part of ongoing efforts to promote transparency, accountability and evidence-based dialogue in the health sector.

The Forum, a multi-stakeholder coalition comprising civil society organisations, health professionals, traditional and religious leaders, the media, development partners and government institutions, urged the Jigawa State Government to accelerate the release and utilisation of approved health sector funds to improve healthcare delivery across the state.

The Forum noted that personnel costs accounted for the bulk of the expenditure, while capital and other recurrent spending remained significantly below expectations.

It further disclosed that out of 98 capital projects approved across the health sector, only 28 projects had recorded any expenditure by the end of the second quarter, leaving the majority without financial implementation.

According to the report, the state approved about ₦80.15 billion for the health sector in the 2026 budget, but only ₦27.49 billion, representing 34.3 per cent, had been spent as of the end of June.

JiMAF warned that the slow pace of project execution could delay the delivery of critical health infrastructure and essential healthcare services to communities across the state.

The Forum expressed particular concern over the implementation of the Family Planning programme, revealing that despite an approved allocation of ₦500 million under the Jigawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (JSPHCDA), no expenditure was recorded in either the first or second quarter, representing zero per cent budget performance.