FG Pledges Greater Health Sector Ownership, Deepens Ties with Spain

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to taking full responsibility for the health of Nigerians amid growing concerns over shifts in global health funding.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made this known while receiving the Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Felix Costales Artieda, who led a delegation from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation on a courtesy visit to the ministry.
Dr. Salako acknowledged that changes in global health financing remain a legitimate concern for Nigeria but stressed that the country cannot afford to rely solely on external support for the wellbeing of its citizens.
According to him, the government must remain in the driver’s seat in steering the nation’s health sector, noting that ongoing reforms under the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu are focused on strengthening local capacity and sustainability.
He highlighted the National Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, built on four strategic pillars, as the cornerstone of the current health transformation agenda. The minister added that the meeting with the Spanish delegation provides an opportunity to revisit the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2022, particularly in areas such as technology transfer and local manufacturing under the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain.
Dr. Salako also pointed to Nigeria’s efforts in addressing obstetric fistula and gynecological conditions through the establishment of specialized institutions and provision of free treatment and social reintegration services for affected patients.
Earlier, Director of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, Mr. Anton Leis, said Spain is supporting several multilateral health initiatives in Nigeria, including collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund on ending female genital mutilation and polio eradication efforts.
He added that the agency is working with the United Nations Children’s Fund and the European Union to promote efficiency in Nigeria’s medical products industry, disclosing that about 1.1 million euros has been committed to ongoing interventions.
Mr. Leis also expressed support for Nigeria’s sector-wide approach to health planning, describing it as a unified model anchored on one plan and one budget.
The Spanish delegation is also partnering with the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to enhance pharmaceutical research, regulation and healthcare value chain resilience.
In her remarks, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom S. mni, noted that Nigeria and Spain share longstanding bilateral relations, strengthened by Memoranda of Understanding signed in 2022 and 2025 to deepen collaboration in the health sector.
The statement was signed by Ado Bako, Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations.