The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has reported significant strides in implementing the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) 2.0 and revitalising primary healthcare (PHC) centres across Nigeria.
Executive director of NPHCDA, Dr. Muyi Aina made this known in Abuja on Wednesday during the 10th quarterly meeting of the Ministerial Oversight Committee for BHCPF. The meeting focused on evaluating progress and ensuring effective implementation of the initiative.
Aina announced that key milestones had been reached, including the finalisation of draft guidelines (awaiting legal review) and major advancements in the PHC Financial Management System (PHC-FMS).
“The beta version of this digital tool was successfully piloted in four states – Kaduna, Gombe, Rivers and Ekiti – across multiple local government areas (LGAs). It enhances real-time financial management and accountability at PHC facilities,” he said.
To strengthen financial oversight, NPHCDA has nearly completed the recruitment of performance and financial management officers (PFMOs), with 707 out of 774 LGAs having identified qualified candidates. These officers will play a crucial role in ensuring transparency in PHC funding.
Aina explained that the PHC-FMS allows facility managers to develop and submit quarterly business plans, track expenditures aligned with a structured chart of accounts and generate electronic financial reports.
Additionally, a two-tier disbursement for facility funding (DFF) system has been introduced, where high-performing PHCs receive N800,000 per quarter, while lower-performing facilities receive N600,000. This model, based on service utilisation data, is designed to foster competition and efficiency.
Beyond BHCPF 2.0, NPHCDA is working to revamp PHCs through multiple funding sources, including government allocations, private sector investments and donor partnerships.
“With over 558 facilities upgraded in the last quarter alone, we are currently assessing nearly 19,000 PHCs to prioritise future interventions, with the goal of achieving 17,600 fully functional PHCs by 2027,” Aina said.
Preliminary data from the first quarter of 2025 shows that PHCs supported under BHCPF outperform non-supported facilities in key areas such as outpatient visits and immunisation coverage.
“As we move forward, our focus will be on finalising guidelines, expanding the PHC-FMS platform and deploying all PFMOs to maintain transparency and accountability,” he concluded.
