Yobe Leads Nigeria In Primary Health Care, Grabs $1.2m Award Prize

Yobe State has once again distinguished itself as a national pacesetter in healthcare delivery, emerging as Nigeria’s leading state in Primary Health Care (PHC) following outstanding performances at the 2025 PHC Leadership Challenge Awards held in Abuja.

Under the visionary leadership of Governor Mai Mala Buni, the state clinched both regional and national honours, reinforcing its growing reputation for excellence in grassroots healthcare.

Yobe was named the Best Performing State in the North-East for the second consecutive year, winning the title in 2024 and 2025, with each award attracting a $500,000 prize.

In an even more remarkable feat, the state also emerged as the Overall Best Performing State in Nigeria at the 2025 edition of the awards, securing an additional $700,000 bringing the total prize money earned by Yobe to $1.2 million, a clear testament to the state’s sustained investment and reforms in the health sector.

The awards were formally received on behalf of Governor Buni by the Deputy Governor, Hon. Idi Barde Gubana, alongside senior government officials, including the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mohammed Lawan Gana; Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Primary Health Care Board (YSPHCB), Dr. Babagana Kundi Machina; Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Agency, Dr. Babagana Tijjani; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Abdullahi Gashu’a, and other top officials.

Speaking on the achievement, Dr. Kundi described Primary Health Care as the foundation of Nigeria’s health system, noting that the awards celebrate states that demonstrate measurable progress in PHC financing, service delivery, data quality, accountability, and community participation.

Dr Kundi explained that the PHC Leadership Challenge Awards are organized by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, UNICEF Nigeria, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“The award recognizes His Excellency’s sustained and well-coordinated interventions in the PHC system, and indeed the whole health sector, of Yobe State.

“His intentional investments in PHC has led to demonstrable and verifiable improvements in service delivery, health data quality, accountability, and community engagement.

“The revitalisation of 146 Ward Focal Primary Health Care Centres and employment of over 2,580 health workers has led to significant improvement in the quality of care being provided to our service users.

Dr. Kundi added that Yobe’s strong performance was therefore not unexpected, given the governor’s deliberate and coordinated investments in strengthening the PHC system and the broader health sector.

Other states that recorded regional successes at the awards include Gombe (North-East runner-up); Nasarawa and Kwara (North-Central); Zamfara and Kaduna (North-West); Abia and Anambra (South-East); Rivers and Bayelsa (South-South); and Osun and Ogun (South-West).