By Doris Obinna
The Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) Nigeria for the Global Fund and the National Assembly have called for urgent domestic funding to cover the gap created by an 11 per cent reduction in the Global Fund‘s allocation to Nigeria, from $970 million to $860 million
This call was made on Tuesday in Lagos at the commencement of the three-day CCM Nigeria 70th Annual Retreat and General Assembly Meeting, themed, ‘Partnering to Improve Health System Outcomes or National Health Outcomes in an Evolving Global Health Financing Landscape.
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They emphasised the need for the Nigerian government to close funding gaps through enhanced domestic resource mobilisation across all tiers of government.
Leadership and strategic vision
Speaking at the event, the First Vice-Chairman, CCM Nigeria, Mr. Ayo Ipinmonye, stated that the retreat, convened under the leadership of the Hon. Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, signals a new era of government ownership in health financing.
Ipinmonye explained that the core strategy is the implementation of a Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) to improve coordination across funding sources and maximise value for every Naira spent.
He noted that the retreat’s goal is to forge deeper partnerships among all tiers of government, the legislature, civil society, and communities to strengthen accountability and mobilise domestic resources.
He reiterated that the reduction in the Global Fund’s allocation from $970 million to $860 million underscores the urgency of closing domestic funding gaps.
“Accountability mechanisms must extend to the local, state, and federal levels, with the media playing a key watchdog role,” he stated.
Objectives and expected outcomes
Second Vice-Chairman, CCM Nigeria, Dr. Akinwunmi Fajola, stated that the retreat aims to build sustained, cross-sectoral collaboration to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to finance its health needs, especially in HIV, TB, and malaria through domestic resources.
He noted that Nigeria’s health budget has remained between 4 and 4.8 per cent, far below the 15 per cent commitment of the Abuja Declaration.
Highlighting progress, Fajola reported that HIV prevalence has reduced from 5.8 per cent to 1.3 per cent, malaria from 42 per cent to 22 per cent, and TB detection has risen to over 400,000 annually. However, he warned that these gains are at risk without sustainable financing. “CCM needs funding from the Nigerian government to effectively perform its oversight role, which is currently inadequate.”
Health as a national priority
Chairman, House Committee on HIV, TB & Malaria (ATM), Hon. Amobi Ogah, pointed out the shocking lack of visibility on how donor funds are used, declaring, “That ends now.”
He pledged stronger legislative advocacy and revealed a proposed budget increase for oversight activities from $20 million to $200 million.
However, he emphasised that this is not just about numbers.
“Health is not a donor issue; it’s a national responsibility. We cannot continue to underfund life-saving programs and call ourselves responsible leaders.
“The Parliament believes that much needs to be done in the area of transparency and accountability. As representatives of the people, the Parliament has the mandate to oversee every fund, whether foreign loans, grants, aid, donations, or locally appropriated for the fight against ATM in the country.”
Need for collaboration
On his part, Executive Secretary, CCM Nigeria, Ibrahim Tajudeen, emphasised the urgent need to build stronger collaborations across all tiers and arms of government, particularly with national institutions and the National Assembly.
He warned that continued reliance on donor funds, without sufficient local investment, could reverse the progress made. “Our aim is to mobilise greater domestic resources, improve grant performance, and ensure timely disbursement of health funds.”
Tajudeen called on legislators to support increased health budget allocations, ensure timely fund releases, and provide robust oversight to eliminate implementation bottlenecks.
He noted that transparency is a cornerstone of CCM’s operations, citing equal representation and ethical governance as already in place, aligning with legislative concerns about accountability.
“The retreat is expected to culminate in actionable strategies to transition Nigeria from donor dependence to self-sustained health interventions, reduce out-of-pocket health costs, and bolster the nation’s ability to respond to future health challenges,” he added.
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