A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the health sector has commended the Senate for passing the National Health Act 2014 (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to increase the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) from one per cent to two per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).

The groups also appealed to the House of Representatives to expedite concurrence on the bill to enable its transmission to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent before the 2027 general elections.

The Nigerian Senate had on April 23, 2026, passed the National Health Act 2014 (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (SB 886), aimed at increasing statutory allocation to the BHCPF from one per cent to two per cent of the CRF.

Speaking during a thank-you visit to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, the Chief Executive Officer of the Vaccine Network for Disease Control (VNDC), Chika Offor, described the passage of the bill as a major milestone in boosting domestic health funding amid shrinking donor support and the rise in emerging diseases.

She noted that the increase in the BHCPF would strengthen primary healthcare centres, improve access to healthcare services for children and women, and ultimately save lives.

According to Offor, the legislative action championed by Senator Banigo seeks to strengthen primary healthcare services and improve health insurance coverage for vulnerable populations.

“It is a happy day for us as CSOs because our vaccine champion has supported the passage of the bill by the Senate to increase the National Health Act allocation from one per cent to two per cent. It means women can go through pregnancy with happiness,” she said.

“I am shedding tears of joy that the Senate has passed this bill. What we are waiting for now is concurrence by the House of Representatives.”

Offor commended Senator Banigo for her leadership in ensuring the bill was passed.
“She is the one who helped ensure this bill saw the light of day. I want to thank the Senate for seeing the value of this bill and its importance to the health of Nigerian children and Nigerians generally,” she added.

She expressed optimism that the House of Representatives would speedily concur with the Senate.

“Once they concur, there is hope for the Nigerian child, and we are anticipating presidential assent before the end of the year,” she stated.

Also speaking, the Coordinator of Health Systems Strengthening for Global Health Advocacy Incubator in Nigeria (GHAI), Prof. Emmanuel Alhassan, said the amendment means an additional one per cent of the nation’s Consolidated Revenue Fund would now be specifically earmarked for healthcare.

He explained that the BHCPF supports various health institutions, including the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and emergency medical care services.

“We are here to appreciate Senator Ipalibo Harry-Banigo for her excellent leadership in ensuring the amendment bill was passed,” Alhassan said.

“She worked closely with her colleagues, the Ministry of Health, civil society groups, and the media to make this happen.”
He disclosed that CSOs would intensify advocacy efforts at the House of Representatives to ensure swift concurrence and eventual presidential assent.

“We appeal in advance to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to give speedy assent to the bill so Nigerians can enjoy better healthcare,” he added.
On his part, the Chairperson of the Health Sector Reform Coalition of Nigeria, Dr. Mohamed Lecky, described the Senate’s action as historic.

He recalled that the National Health Act was eventually passed in 2014 after over a decade of advocacy by civil society organisations.
According to him, the BHCPF provision has become one of the most transformative funding mechanisms for primary healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

“To see that the intervention we made to the Senate under Senator Banigo’s leadership has now increased the fund from at least one per cent to at least two per cent is a major leap forward,” he said.

“It means more funding for immunisation, human resources, equipment, and innovation in the health sector.”

Lecky expressed confidence that the House of Representatives would quickly reconcile its position with the Senate before forwarding the bill to the President.

Responding, Senator Banigo said the funding increase would significantly improve Nigeria’s poor health indices and transform healthcare service delivery nationwide.

She expressed confidence that the House of Representatives would not delay concurrence on the bill.

“President Tinubu is very health-positive. We have engaged the Nigerian Governors Forum, the Ministries of Finance and Budget, and they all agree that this is the right time for Nigeria to upscale domestic health financing because donor funding is shrinking,” she said.

Banigo added that the joint health committee of the National Assembly would work closely to ensure speedy legislative action and presidential assent before the 2027 general elections.