What is the Future of Nigeria’s Health Sector?

All four manifestos have common policies and varying differences, reflective of recommendations made to strengthen deliveries on the expectations for the health sector. After the elections conclude and a winner is declared, one of these manifestos will be the blueprint for the health sector for the next four or eight years.

Written by Health Policy Research Group & Health Sector Reform Coalition

Feb 20, 2023

Across the globe, elections into public offices come with promises and commitments. These promises are to invoke confidence in candidates and their parties by the voting population. Nigeria is no exception and it is disappointing when these promises are not fulfilled.

A 2019 article on voter apathy in Africa notes that while 98.2 per cent and 79.5 per cent of the registered voters in Rwanda and Kenya eventually voted in their last elections, just 35.66 per cent of registered voters voted in Nigeria. A reason for this low turnout is that politicians tend to renege on the promises made during campaigns, as well as commitments outlined in their manifestos.

In the build-up to the 2023 elections, Nigeria’s political climate has become more energized; seen in citizen’s interest in the presidential aspirants and their manifestos. A PUNCH article described these growing interests as a consequence of anger at the state of the nation. Citizens must not only devise means of holding their leaders accountable, they equally need to contribute to the kind of leadership they want. This can be achieved by studying the manifestos presented to the public and presenting the proposed policies in ways that can inform public opinion and provide reminders to those seeking public offices on what they should deliver when elected.

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About the Author

Health Policy Research Group & Health Sector Reform Coalition

Contributors include: 1. Obinna Onwujekwe is a Professor of Health Economics at the University of Nigeria, Coordinator of the HPRG, and Lead of the African Health Observatory Platform (AHOP), Nigerian National Centre. 2. Prince Agwu is a Social Policy Research Expert at the HPRG, and the Communications Anchor of AHOP, Nigeria. 3. Henry Ewunonu is a Medical Doctor and the Spokesperson of the HSRC, Nigeria. 4. Okechukwu Ozor is a researcher at the HPRG. 5. Iheomimichineke Ojiakor is a researcher at the HPRG. 6. Chioma Ojiaku is a researcher at the HPRG. 7. Chinelo Obi is a researcher at the HPRG. 8. Chika Offor is the Chairperson of the HSRC, Nigeria.

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What is the Future of Nigeria’s Health Sector?