A recent report by BudgIT, released in Abuja during the 2025 State of States Report launch themed “A Decade of Subnational Fiscal Analysis”, has revealed that just seven Nigerian states implemented more than 80% of their health budgets in 2024. These states are Yobe, Gombe, Ekiti, Lagos, Edo, Delta, and Bauchi.
The report highlighted that Nigerian states collectively budgeted ₦1.32 trillion for health, but actual spending only reached ₦816.64 billion—about 61.9% of the budget. Yobe State led implementation at 98.2%, though with a moderate total expenditure placing it 24th nationwide.
On average, states spent ₦3,483 per person on health, with no state surpassing ₦10,000 per capita. Lagos, Bayelsa, Edo, Abia, Kwara, Niger, and Delta were the only states to spend above ₦5,000 per person.
BudgIT Global Director Oluseun Onigbinde warned that despite increased revenues from federation allocations, much of the extra money is not effectively channeled to critical sectors like healthcare. He urged states to prioritise health funding, improve planning, procurement, and budget accountability to turn allocations into actual clinics, medicines, and medical staff.
Dr. Uche Amaonwu of the Gates Foundation praised the report as a vital tool for transparency and accountability, underscoring how sound fiscal governance enables better service delivery and poverty reduction.
The report also detailed disparities in education and health budget execution across states and called for deeper fiscal reforms, responsible debt management, and greater investment in infrastructure and human capital.
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