FG Needs N4.55bn to Recruit Over 122,000 Health Workers for PHCs

The Federal Government has disclosed that it will require approximately N4.55 billion over the next three years to recruit 122,696 health workers needed to fill critical vacancies in Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities across 26 states.

The revelation was made on Friday in Abuja by Zaiyanatu Umar, Human Resource for Health and Project Management Lead at the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) Coordination Office, during the 15th Expanded Ministerial Oversight Committee meeting on national healthcare implementation.

Umar explained that the figure was derived from an analysis of staffing data submitted by 26 verified states under the SWAp recruitment assessment exercise. The exercise evaluated staffing levels against the national Minimum Staffing Standards for Primary Health Care facilities.

According to her, the assessment was conducted using a specially developed recruitment tool designed to support the implementation of the World Bank-backed HOPE-GOV Programme, particularly Disbursement-Linked Indicator (DLI) 5.2, which focuses on strengthening the healthcare workforce and ensuring adequate staffing across all levels of care.

The assessment revealed that participating states require a total of 220,755 health workers in their PHC facilities, but only 98,059 positions are currently filled, leaving a deficit of 122,696 personnel.

She noted that the states surveyed averaged just 7.5 PHC workers per 10,000 population, while more than half of the required workforce positions remain vacant.

A regional breakdown of the findings showed that the South-East recorded the most severe shortage, with a workforce gap of 73 per cent and only 1.9 health workers per 10,000 people. The North-West followed closely with a 70.9 per cent deficit and 5.8 workers per 10,000 population.

The South-West posted a staffing shortfall of 59.3 per cent, while the North-Central region recorded a 49.5 per cent gap, averaging eight health workers per 10,000 population.

The South-South and North-East regions recorded workforce deficits of 46.8 per cent and 33.9 per cent respectively.

“Facilities in the South-East are significantly understaffed by every measure, unlike many northern states where personnel on state and local government payrolls supplement available workers,” Umar said.

She added that the staffing analysis excluded 13 states, while efforts were ongoing to finalise a Human Resource for Health scorecard aimed at improving accountability and workforce performance nationwide.

Meanwhile, Coordinator of the National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee, Dr. Emuren Doubra, disclosed that N2.41 billion had been disbursed since 2023 to states and federal tertiary hospitals to support emergency medical treatment interventions.

According to him, more than 130,000 patients have benefited from the initiative, while the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) released N1.49 billion to tertiary health facilities between January 2023 and May 2026.

Doubra said the committee plans to expand emergency medical operations from 32 states to all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory before the end of the year. It also aims to increase the coverage of Rapid Emergency Services and Medical Ambulance Teams from 139 to 172 local government areas.

Also speaking at the meeting, Executive Director of the Country Coordinating Mechanism, Dr. Ibrahim Tajudeen, announced that Nigeria had submitted its Grant Cycle Eight funding request to the Global Fund as part of ongoing health sector reforms.

He revealed that Nigeria has been allocated 791.6 million dollars under the new funding cycle, compared to 933.1 million dollars received under Grant Cycle Seven.

Tajudeen said the reduction in funding had prompted reforms aimed at improving efficiency, eliminating duplication and strengthening integration across HIV, tuberculosis and malaria programmes.

He noted that the number of principal grant recipients had been reduced from seven to five to enhance coordination, accountability and government ownership of health interventions.

According to him, the new grant framework prioritises alignment with the Sector-Wide Approach, expansion of health insurance coverage, stronger supply chains, local pharmaceutical manufacturing and broader health systems strengthening.

He added that Nigeria has earmarked 42.8 million dollars from disease-specific allocations to support health systems development over the next three years through integrated investments in laboratory services, disease surveillance, commodity distribution, community engagement and health financing.

The meeting also highlighted the continued role of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund as Nigeria’s flagship mechanism for expanding access to quality primary healthcare services and advancing universal health coverage across the country.