Corruption Undermining Nigeria’s Basic Healthcare Fund, Committee Warns

The Health Anti-Corruption Project Advisory Committee (HAPAC) has expressed concern that corruption and mismanagement are eroding the impact of over N110 billion ($68.3 million) invested by the Federal Government in Nigeria’s primary healthcare system since 2018.

The group said despite the huge investments through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), weak accountability and unethical practices had hindered the fund’s ability to improve healthcare delivery, particularly for the poor and vulnerable.

In a statement issued in Abuja, the Chairperson of HAPAC, Dr. Idris Muhammad, said the committee fully supported the recent call by the Minister of Health, Professor Mohammed Pate, for stronger anti-corruption mechanisms following the latest disbursement of N32.9 billion ($22 million) to over 13,000 primary healthcare centres (PHCs) nationwide.

Dr. Muhammad noted that recent findings by HAPAC revealed several corrupt practices within the BHCPF’s implementation, including collusion between community monitors and facility officers to divert funds, facility managers using single receipts to access funds from multiple gateways, and falsification of community stakeholders’ signatures to withdraw funds without their consent.

“These unethical practices are diminishing the intended impact of the BHCPF, which was designed to strengthen service delivery and ensure access to quality healthcare for Nigeria’s poorest citizens,” Dr. Muhammad said.

Also speaking, Professor Obinna Onwujekwe, who convenes the committee, said HAPAC’s investigations uncovered cases where state primary healthcare development agencies (SPHCDAs) directed facility managers on how to spend funds and even provided specific bank accounts for payments—actions that violate the BHCPF’s operational guidelines.

He added that some SPHCDAs procure medicines for PHCs without following national procurement laws, thereby undermining transparency and accountability in fund utilisation.

HAPAC’s Deputy Chairperson, Dr. Tarry Asoka, stressed the need for facilities to have secure, discreet channels to report cases of overreach or interference by state health agencies.

“The integrity of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund depends on empowering facilities to speak up without fear,” Asoka stated.

To curb corruption in the fund, HAPAC recommended the creation of direct reporting links between PHCs and anti-corruption officials at both the Federal Ministry of Health and relevant national anti-corruption agencies.

Other proposed measures include training and retraining of health workers on procurement ethics, strict penalties for guideline violations, and centralising medicine procurement to ensure transparency and eliminate counterfeit drugs.

HAPAC reaffirmed its commitment to working with government, civil society, and the media to promote transparency in Nigeria’s health sector.

“The BHCPF remains one of the most promising tools for improving Nigeria’s health system, but its success depends on integrity, accountability, and strict adherence to due process,” the statement added.

HAPAC is a coalition of professionals drawn from academia, civil society, the media, anti-corruption agencies, and healthcare practitioners, working to expose and address corruption within the health sector through evidence-based advocacy.