2025: A lost year for Nigeria’s health sector – NMA

…As doctors review failures, note modest gains

… Demand a decisive reset in 2026

By Chioma Obinna

As the curtain closed on 2025, Nigeria’s federal health sector stood at a crossroads, weighed down by unmet expectations, policy drift and a steadily weakening healthcare delivery system.

Despite pockets of infrastructural improvement, medical professionals say the year exposed deep structural failures that continue to deny millions of Nigerians access to affordable and quality healthcare.

A broad review of federal government health activities in 2025 revealed what stakeholders describe as a “troubling lack of focus and priority”, particularly at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

The situation, they argued, was further compounded by insufficient presidential attention to healthcare delivery, leaving the sector adrift at a time of growing public health needs.

The Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Lagos State, Dr. Saheed Babajide, did not mince words in his assessment.“There was no meaningful development, initiative or progress in the federal health sector in 2025. What we witnessed was a system struggling without clear direction, and that is highly unfortunate, unacceptable and disappointing,” he said.

Missed priorities

For many health workers, 2025 will be remembered as a year when long-standing problems were left unresolved.

Chief among them was the Federal Government’s failure to address the Japa syndrome — the mass migration of healthcare professionals seeking better opportunities abroad.

Doctors point to poor remuneration, weak welfare packages and limited training opportunities as major drivers of the exodus.

According to the NMA, these challenges were worsened by the government’s handling of industrial disputes, with prolonged strike actions disrupting services and deepening public suffering.

“When health sector associations embarked on strike, the response from government lacked empathy and strategy. Citizens were the ultimate victims, denied access to essential healthcare,” Babajide noted.

Care out of reach

Beyond labour issues, the NMA in its review painted a grim picture of healthcare access in 2025.

Nigeria’s health indices remained low, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) was weak, and health insurance coverage continued to exclude a large segment of the population.

The cost of healthcare rose sharply, driven by high prices of drugs, consumables and medical equipment, many of which are imported and subject to heavy tariffs. Primary healthcare, widely regarded as the foundation of an effective health system, received little attention, while poor and unstable power supply continued to cripple service delivery in many health institutions.

The NMA also criticised what they described as a “misplaced focus” by the Ministry of Health.

“Rather than concentrating on the core healthcare delivery system, the Ministry prioritised data collection, research and engagement with international partners, while Nigerians struggled to access basic care,”Babajide said.

The only notable positive in 2025, according to the NMA, was a fair level of improvement in infrastructure, particularly hospital buildings. However, practitioners argued that buildings alone cannot save lives without adequate staffing, equipment and financing.

Road to 2026

As Nigeria looks ahead to 2026, the NMA Lagos State Chairman called for a decisive shift in policy and priorities.

Central to the NMA’s demands is improved welfare for healthcare workers, beginning with better living wages and competitive remuneration.

To curb the Japa syndrome, the NMA is advocating a comprehensive package that includes improved welfare benefits, affordable housing and car loans, structured training and retraining, clearer career progression, overseas training opportunities, provision of modern equipment, and worker-friendly policies.

The association also wants assaults on health workers to stop and further pushed for non-taxable call duty allowances.

“You cannot retain skilled professionals in an environment that offers poor pay, insecurity and burnout,” Babajide said.

On the service delivery side, the doctors want healthcare to be more accessible, affordable and qualitative. This includes expanding UHC, reforming health insurance coverage, reviewing premiums and policies, and reducing the cost of care through lower tariffs on medical equipment and reduced drug prices.

Funding, infrastructure and trust

The NMA further called for the immediate implementation of the extension of retirement age for healthcare workers and a renewed focus on strengthening primary healthcare across the country. Collaboration between government and private hospitals, they argued, could help reduce mortality and bridge access gaps.

Power supply remains another critical concern. They argued that without reliable electricity, health facilities struggle to provide even basic services, let alone advanced care.

On funding, the doctors urged the Federal Government to increase budgetary allocation to the health sector from the current six per cent to 15 per cent in line with the Abuja Declaration, while ensuring transparency and efficiency in the use of funds.

“It is not just about allocating more money; it is about using it effectively and without corruption,” Kehinde stressed.

Leadership and dialogue

The medical professionals insisted that resolving recurrent strike actions requires a new approach based on dialogue, respect and dignity.

“Health workers want to be heard and respected. When associations like NARD go on strike, it is the ordinary Nigerian who suffers,” Babajide said.

The NMA further urged the Federal Government to establish specialist hospitals across the six geopolitical zones, including infectious disease centres, and to improve security and working conditions for healthcare workers.

As the nation steps into 2026, doctors warned that without urgent reforms, Nigeria risks deeper workforce losses and worsening health outcomes.

“Healthcare must be treated as a national priority. Without a functional health system, sustainable development remains a mirage.”

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