The Federal Government has launched a bold new initiative to transform Nigeria’s Primary Healthcare (PHC) system through the deployment of 774 Performance and Financial Management Officers (PFMOs) one in each local government area across the country.
Speaking at the official launch in Abuja, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, described the move as a critical step toward improving accountability, efficiency, and service delivery within the nation’s healthcare system.
Aina emphasized that the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s health transformation agenda and demonstrates a strong commitment to grassroots-level institutional reform.
“These officers will play a pivotal role in monitoring performance, facilitating community engagement, and ensuring the transparent and efficient use of funds allocated through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF),” he explained.
He noted that one of the major gaps in the current PHC system is the lack of community-driven accountability, and that this initiative seeks to address that by empowering young Nigerians to take the lead in reforming health governance.
“This is more than just policy it is a transformational effort aimed at securing the future of healthcare in Nigeria, where young people not only participate but lead the change,” Aina said.
As part of broader reforms, Aina revealed that over 60,700 health workers have already been retrained, and PHC facilities across the country are being upgraded with solar power, modern equipment, and improved infrastructure.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to increasing funding, revitalizing facilities, and building a robust PHC workforce as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery.
Aina also highlighted the role of traditional institutions in ensuring community support and ownership of healthcare reforms at the grassroots level.
In his remarks, Francis Ukwuije, a Health Economist with the World Health Organization (WHO), praised Nigeria’s efforts to ensure value for money in healthcare investments. He described the deployment of PFMOs as a “commendable and strategic step,” and emphasized the importance of maintaining ethics and dignity in healthcare delivery.
Ukwuije also called for a strong learning and knowledge-sharing agenda to ensure that the lessons from this initiative are not only institutionalised in Nigeria but shared with global partners to inform similar reforms worldwide.
