Yobe wins PHC leadership challenge as states advocate health reforms

Yobe State has emerged as the overall winner of Nigeria’s Primary Health Care (PHC) Leadership Challenge, outperforming other states in an independently verified assessment.

The assessment measures governance, financing, service delivery and accountability within PHC systems.

The award was announced at the PHC Leadership Challenge Awards and Gala Night organised by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and development partners, including the Gates Foundation, UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The annual challenge, which rewards measurable improvements in state-level PHC performance, aims to strengthen accountability, peer learning and sustained political commitment to PHC reforms across Nigeria.

How states were assessed

The PHC Leadership Challenge is built on a Performance Monitoring Framework (PMF) jointly developed by health sector stakeholders and endorsed by all states through their commissioners for health and heads of state PHC agencies.

The framework tracks progress across key domains aligned with the Seattle Declaration commitments signed by governors in 2019, including governance and leadership, financing, quality of care, human resources for health, data use, evidence and sustainability.

The verified findings were reviewed by an Independent Judging Panel (IJP), comprising public health experts, academics, civil society representatives, traditional and religious leaders, and media professionals, before final endorsement by the PHC Leadership Challenge Steering Committee.

The steering committee is chaired by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammed Pate, with membership drawn from the NGF, NPHCDA and key development partners.

Standout performances

During the presentation, Yobe State was said to have delivered an “exceptional and well-balanced performance” across governance, quality of care, service delivery coordination and data integrity, earning it the national overall prize of $700,000.

The state also clinched the best-performing award in the North-East, securing an additional $500,000, after leading in indicators such as patient satisfaction, availability of essential commodities and effective PHC coordination mechanisms.

Gombe State emerged as first runner-up in the North-East, winning $400,000 for strong results in human resources for health.

Across other zones, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Abia, Bayelsa and Osun states emerged as best performers, while Kwara, Kaduna, Anambra, Bayelsa and Ogun picked up first runner-up prizes.

All best-performing zonal states received $500,000, while runners-up earned $400,000 each.

In total, 13 awards worth $6.1 million were presented under the challenge.

The judging panel noted that at least 20 states recorded measurable improvements in health reforms, though performance remained uneven, particularly in leadership engagement and governance.

‘Progress visible, gaps remain’

Speaking at the event, the Gates Foundation said Nigeria had recorded notable gains in PHC outcomes but warned that progress remained fragile without sustained leadership.

In remarks delivered by Uche Anowu on behalf of the Deputy Director for Health Systems Strengthening at the foundation, Nkata Chuku, the organisation highlighted improvements in routine immunisation, maternal health services and malaria interventions.

Mr Chuku noted that the National routine immunisation coverage has risen to the high 60 per cent range, with several states exceeding 75 per cent, compared to the low 60s in 2022.

He added that more than 500,000 zero-dose children were reached between July 2024 and October 2025 through targeted immunisation campaigns.

Also, skilled birth attendance and antenatal care coverage have improved, while integrated vaccination campaigns have expanded access to malaria prevention tools.

However, challenges persist, including insecurity in parts of the North-east and North-west, nutrition risks in conflict-affected areas and inconsistent data reporting.

He disclosed that the Gates Foundation has invested $27 million in the PHC Challenge Fund over the past four years, with 70 per cent dedicated to performance-based awards.

“The Challenge Fund is a tool. Your leadership is the engine that will deliver lasting change for every Nigerian family,” he said.

Governors reaffirm commitment

In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said the challenge has become a national accountability mechanism for health sector reform.

Mr AbdulRazaq, who was represented by the Governor of Nassarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, said the initiative demonstrates that “measurable and dramatic change is possible” when political leadership is combined with sustained investment and peer accountability.

“We are not just celebrating awards tonight, but the institutionalisation of a national tradition that reinforces leadership responsibility for primary healthcare,” he said.

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He noted that states have increased domestic health funding in recent years, with a growing share directed to primary healthcare, leading to improvements in infrastructure, staffing and service delivery.

He commended state commissioners for health, PHC agency heads and development partners for driving reforms aligned with Nigeria’s health sector renewal priorities.

Minister urges long term investment

During his address, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, described health investment as both a social and economic imperative, urging states to sustain reforms through smarter resource allocation, transparency and long-term planning.

Mr Pate said recent reforms under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) have strengthened collaboration between federal, state and local governments, while improving transparency and efficiency in health spending.

“Health is a fundamental aspiration of every human being. Investing in health is investing in the present and the future of the country,” he said.

According to him, investments in PHC are beginning to translate into better maternal, child and infectious disease outcomes, but sustaining the gains will require long-term commitment.

He said the government had increased health sector investments and prioritised affordability, access to essential medicines, workforce expansion and transparency in resource allocation.

He noted that the next phase of reforms would focus on smarter resource allocation, workforce development and system-wide transparency to ensure that investments translate into improved outcomes for citizens.

He described the PHC Leadership Challenge as a key accountability mechanism that encourages states to prioritise health while fostering peer learning and competition.

“This is not just about celebrating achievements, but about sustaining progress and building a health system that delivers for Nigerians today and in the future,” he said.