World Health Day marked on Tuesday with renewed calls for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s health sector, as Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa urged governments at all levels to address chronic underfunding and policy failures affecting public healthcare.
In a statement released to commemorate the day, CAPPA said Nigeria has consistently failed to meet the 15 per cent health sector funding target contained in the Abuja Declaration. The organisation noted that, over the past decade, health budgets have remained below the benchmark, while approved funds are often not fully released.
The group cited recent examples from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, which reportedly disclosed in January that it could not implement its 2025 capital budget after only N36 million was released from the N218 billion allocated.
CAPPA also noted that in 2024, only N26.552 billion of the N233.656 billion budgeted for capital projects was eventually released.
According to CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, the persistent gap between approved budgets and actual disbursements has weakened the health system and limited Nigerians’ access to essential healthcare services.
He said the situation has contributed to shortages of medicines, overstretched hospitals, rising healthcare costs and a worsening shortage of health workers, driven partly by the migration of medical professionals abroad.
CAPPA further warned that non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity and heart disease now account for nearly 29 per cent of annual deaths in Nigeria.
The organisation blamed the trend partly on unhealthy diets and poor regulation of food products.
Referencing the 2026 World Health Day theme, “Together for Health: Stand with Science,” CAPPA called for evidence-based measures to tackle the crisis.
Among its proposals was a stronger tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. The group welcomed plans by the National Assembly to review the current N10 per litre levy and replace it with a percentage-based tax linked to retail price.
Oluwafemi said the existing tax is too low to reduce consumption and called for an increase to at least 50 per cent of the retail price, in line with recommendations by the World Health Organization.
CAPPA also advocated mandatory limits on salt content in processed foods, front-of-pack warning labels and tighter restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy foods, particularly to children.
The organisation said such policies would help Nigerians make healthier choices, discourage misleading advertising and compel manufacturers to produce healthier products.
In addition, CAPPA raised concerns over tobacco-related illnesses and emerging nicotine products, calling for increased funding for tobacco control initiatives.
It described the current N13 million allocation to the Tobacco Control Fund as inadequate and demanded an increase to at least N300 million.
The group said stronger investment is needed for the effective implementation of the National Tobacco Control Act.
CAPPA urged governments and relevant agencies to improve health sector funding, ensure the timely release of budgeted funds and adopt stronger preventive health policies.
“Prevention must become central to Nigeria’s health strategy,” Oluwafemi said, stressing the need for stronger policies backed by adequate funding.