Nigeria has allocated an additional $200 million to its 2025 health budget to cushion the effects of recent international funding cuts, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed.
The announcement was made by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus in a statement published on the organisation’s website on Sunday. He said the move was part of Nigeria’s efforts to avert worsening disruptions to health services triggered by a global decline in official development assistance.
The WHO disclosed that sudden funding reductions — largely due to international policy shifts such as the Trump Administration’s recent halt on foreign aid — have led to severe consequences in nearly 70% of its surveyed country offices, with some reporting full or partial closures of health facilities.
According to Dr. Ghebreyesus, Nigeria joins a list of countries including South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana, that are ramping up domestic resources to fill critical financing gaps in their healthcare systems.
“WHO has been working with countries for many years to support them to transition away from aid dependency to sustainable self-reliance,” he said. “Nigeria has allocated an additional US$200 million to health in its 2025 budget.”
He cited the budget move as an example of the type of national commitment needed to ensure continuity in health services, especially for vulnerable populations who might be pushed into poverty due to rising out-of-pocket costs.
The additional allocation comes amid global alarm over widespread disruptions in health services, including job losses for health workers, rising patient costs, and gaps in the supply of essential medicines.
In response to the crisis, WHO urged countries to protect health budgets, resist cuts to public health spending, and implement efficiency strategies such as pooled procurement, minimising overheads, and prioritising high-impact services.
Dr. Ghebreyesus also advocated for the introduction or expansion of health-related taxes — such as levies on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks — as short-term revenue measures. Over the long term, he suggested expanding social or community-based health insurance schemes to build sustainable funding models.
“Nigeria’s step is crucial,” he said, “and it reflects the urgent need for countries to strengthen their financial resilience against global funding volatility.”
He added that WHO remains committed to supporting countries through technical assistance and innovative fundraising strategies tailored to each nation’s economic and healthcare landscape.
