ABUJA — In a startling revelation that highlights the deepening fiscal paralysis within the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, has disclosed that his ministry received a mere ₦36 million out of its ₦218 billion capital budget for the 2025 fiscal year.
Appearing before the House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare Services on Monday, February 9, 2026, for the 2026 budget defense, a visibly concerned Pate explained that the release represents a microscopic 0.016% of the total appropriation. The funding gap, he warned, has effectively mothballed critical health infrastructure and life-saving programs across the federation.
A Systemic ‘Heart Attack’ in Healthcare
The Minister attributed the near-zero implementation of capital projects to a “bottom-up cash planning system” that has left many ministries stranded. While personnel costs were fully funded to ensure salaries were paid, the “bricks and mortar” of the healthcare system—hospitals, equipment, and rural health centers—were left entirely unfunded.
“Implementation was hindered by the late release of appropriated funds and other unforeseen circumstances beyond our control,” Pate told the lawmakers. He noted that the lack of domestic funding also prevented the ministry from accessing millions of dollars in international donor support, which often requires Nigeria to provide “counterpart funding” before disbursements are made.
The Human Cost of the ‘Missing Billions’
The funding crisis at the Health Ministry arrives at a time of extreme vulnerability for the Nigerian public:
- The Hunger Link: With 133 million Nigerians in multidimensional poverty, the lack of subsidized healthcare has become a death sentence for many.
- Vanishing Middle Class: As petrol prices near ₦1,000 per litre, analysts like Dr. Franklin Ngwu argue that the middle class is being “liquidated,” leaving them unable to afford private medical care.
- The Insecurity Factor: In states like Kwara and Benue, where 300 Christians were recently massacred, the lack of functional rural health clinics has exacerbated the casualty rates from insurgent attacks.
Transparency vs. ‘Treasury Parasites’
The ₦36 million release has triggered fresh accusations of “selective funding” from the opposition. Critics point to the unilateral ₦7.6 trillion NNPCL debt write-off and the ₦3 billion spent on luxury SUVs for Sokoto officials as evidence that the administration prioritizes political patronage over human life.
PDP chieftain Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim recently labeled the President’s economic team as “treasury parasites,” a sentiment echoed by protesters at the National Assembly gates who asked why the government can afford $9 million for Washington lobbyists but only ₦36 million for the nation’s health.
The 2026 Outlook
Despite the 2025 failure, Pate presented a 2026 proposal aligned with the National Development Plan, emphasizing Universal Health Coverage. However, with the 2026 budget already facing a projected ₦25.27 trillion deficit, lawmakers expressed skepticism about whether the “strangulation” of the health sector would end.
As of Tuesday morning, February 10, 2026, the House Committee has vowed to “invite” the Minister of Finance and the Accountant-General of the Federation to explain why healthcare has been relegated to the bottom of the nation’s financial priorities.
