The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa has called on governments at all levels in Nigeria to address persistent underfunding and policy gaps in the health sector, warning that current challenges are worsening the country’s disease burden.
In a statement marking World Health Day 2026, the organisation said Nigeria has consistently failed to meet the 15 per cent health budget benchmark set under the Abuja Declaration, with approved allocations often not fully released.
Citing data from the Budget Office of the Federation, CAPPA highlighted funding shortfalls in recent years, including the reported release of only ₦36 million out of ₦218 billion allocated for the 2025 capital budget of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. It also noted that in 2024, ₦26.552 billion was released from ₦233.656 billion earmarked for capital projects.
Executive Director of CAPPA, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said the gap between budgetary allocations and actual disbursement has weakened Nigeria’s health system, limiting access to essential medicines, overstretching facilities and contributing to the migration of health workers.
The organisation warned that non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including hypertension, diabetes and heart-related conditions, account for about 29 per cent of annual deaths in Nigeria, driven in part by unhealthy diets and weak preventive policies.
CAPPA called for the adoption of evidence-based measures in line with the World Health Day theme, “Together for health: Stand with science,” including stronger fiscal and regulatory interventions to reduce consumption of unhealthy foods.
The group urged the Federal Government to increase the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSB) tax from the current ₦10 per litre to at least 50 per cent of retail price, aligning with recommendations by the World Health Organization. It said the move would help reduce consumption while generating additional revenue for health financing.
It also advocated complementary measures such as mandatory sodium reduction targets, front-of-pack labelling for processed foods and restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy products, particularly to children.
In addition, CAPPA raised concerns over funding for tobacco control, describing the ₦13 million allocation to the Tobacco Control Fund as inadequate. The organisation called for an increase to at least ₦300 million to strengthen implementation of the National Tobacco Control Act.
CAPPA urged policymakers to prioritise preventive healthcare, ensure timely release of budgeted funds and strengthen accountability mechanisms across the sector.
It said improving health outcomes in Nigeria would require sustained investment, stronger policies and a shift towards prevention-focused strategies to address both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
