By As Nigeria marks World Health Day 2026, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has raised fresh concerns over what it describes as chronic underfunding and weak policy implementation in the country’s health sector, urging authorities to take urgent corrective action.
In a statement issued to commemorate the global health event, the organisation said Nigeria’s healthcare system continues to suffer from a disconnect between budgetary promises and actual financial promises.
It noted that allocations to the sector have remained consistently below the 15 per cent target agreed under the Abuja Declaration, with disbursement levels falling even shorter.
According to CAPPA, recent budget performance figures reflect a troubling trend. It pointed out that only a fraction of funds earmarked for capital projects in both 2024 and 2025 was eventually released, a development it said has stalled critical health interventions across the country.
Speaking on the issue, CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, warned that the consequences of inadequate funding are increasingly visible in the nation’s healthcare outcomes.
He linked the situation to limited access to essential medicines, overstretched medical facilities, rising treatment costs borne by citizens, and a growing shortage of health workers, partly driven by migration.
He further drew attention to the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which now account for a significant share of deaths in Nigeria. Conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart-related illnesses, he said, are placing additional strain on an already fragile system.
To reverse the trend, CAPPA called for stronger preventive strategies anchored on evidence-based policies. It stressed the need for government intervention in regulating dietary risks, particularly excessive consumption of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats.
The organisation also renewed its push for a more effective tax regime on sugar-sweetened beverages, arguing that the current levy is insufficient to discourage consumption.
It advocated a higher, price-based tax structure, alongside the allocation of generated revenue to public health programmes.
In addition to taxation, CAPPA recommended stricter regulations in the food sector, including mandatory nutritional labelling, limits on salt content in processed foods, and tighter controls on the marketing of unhealthy products, especially those targeted at children.
The group also highlighted concerns around tobacco use and the growing presence of new nicotine products in the Nigerian market. It described existing funding for tobacco control as inadequate and called for increased investment to strengthen enforcement, public education, and regulatory oversight.
CAPPA maintained that improving Nigeria’s health outcomes requires not only increased funding but also accountability in the utilisation of resources and a firm commitment to policies that prioritise prevention.
It urged government at all levels to align with the theme of this year’s World Health Day by embracing science-driven solutions, warning that failure to act decisively could deepen existing health challenges and further burden millions of Nigerians.
