By Gloria Ikibah 

Key health agencies under the House Committee on Healthcare Services have appealed for more funding in the 2025 budget, citing critical needs in addressing healthcare challenges across the country.

This was their position during the 2025 budget defense session on Tuesday in Abuja.

The Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, presented a proposed budget of ₦48.1478 billion for 2025.

He highlighted that while the agency benefits from the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and Vaccine Immunisation Funds, additional funding is key for optimal performance.

Dr. Aina also expressed hope for better budget releases in 2025, and noted that the 2024 disbursement was insufficient.

Similarly, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) requested ₦7.38 billion to combat the country’s ongoing eight disease outbreaks and enhance preparedness.

The Director-General of NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, emphasised the efforts if the agency in capacity building, research, and collaboration with state governments to strengthen disease surveillance. He therefore called for a dedicated contingency fund to manage emergencies effectively.

The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) proposed ₦113 billion for its 2025 operations. The Registrar, Dr. Fatima Kyari, revealed that the council received no allocation in 2024 due to its exclusion from the budgeting process, relying instead on funds from doctors’ registration fees and levies.

Dr. Kyari pledged to intensify advocacy to expand funding sources and alleviate pressure on federal medical institutions.

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is seeking ₦130 billion to increase health insurance coverage. The agency’s Director-General, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, disclosed that only 19.4 million Nigerians are currently covered under NHIA, with an additional 2.5 million under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund.

Dr. Ohiri outlined plans to engage the private sector, telecom companies, and digital technology to boost enrollment and expand coverage.

During the session, the Chairman of the House Committee on Healthcare Institutions, Rep. Amos Magaji, emphasised the importance of a functional healthcare system in reducing corruption and alleviating financial burdens on Nigerians.

He commended the agencies for their presentations and assured them that the Committee would review their funding requests for possible increases.

Members of the Committee also scrutinized the agencies’ 2024 expenditures and deliberated on their proposed budgets and plans for 2025.

…as Ministry proposes N6bn for 2025 budget

The Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Interior, on Wednesday, commended the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo over the 2024 budget performance of the Ministry.

The Joint Committees gave the commendation on Wednesday, when the Minister appeared in National Assembly to defend the 2025 budget of the Ministry.

Dr. Tunji-Ojo told the lawmakers during the session that the Ministry’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) exceeded its target In the 2024 budget.

He said, “In 2024, we had a revenue target as approved by the National Assembly of N1.2bn for business expatriates quotas and naturalisation. But what we were able to generate was N4,508,306,968.5”.

The Minister explained that the increase in the IGR was not as a result of the increased in expatriates quota revenue, noting that a lot of key sectors within the Ministry came alive in the last financial year.

He attributed the increase to some measures adopted by the Ministry to close linkages via zero remittances and a full automated of solutions.

According to him, it was the automation of these solutions that closed some of the linkages which made the revenue to shoot up.

The Minister further stated that the total target for 2024 was N2bn, adding that in the actual sense it was able to generate over N5bn in the year under review.

Impressed with the budget performance, the lawmakers, who could not hide their satisfaction, commended the Minister for a job well done, with he committee chairman, Senator Adams Oshiomhole taking the lead.

“Honourable Minister you have done extremely well. I think you have been detailed, I have attended some other budget defence and I can’t recall anyone as extremely detailed as you did.

“We have seen what you have done in 2024, we expect you to do more in 2025 knowing that you have a lot of energy.

“Now you have made your presentation and I believe we are very satisfied with your explanation. If there are more questions, like you said after this budget session, we can have a special session to discuss further”, Oshiomhole said.

Meanwhile, the Minister proposed a total of N6,683,463,175 for the 2025 budget, with the breakdown of Personnel, 1,692,410,481; Overhead,1,159,879,666 and Capital, 3,831,173.58.