In a concerted push to strengthen Nigeria’s health security architecture, a coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) has called for increased transparency and accountability in the allocation and utilization of public funds for health emergencies and vaccine access.
The stakeholders said achieving health security and equitable vaccine access in Nigeria requires more than funding, as it demands transparency, data integrity, youth inclusion, and multi-sector collaboration.
They said in an era of global uncertainty, these elements are not optional but foundational to safeguarding public health.
The call was made during a high-level validation meeting for the Health Security Accountability Framework and Scorecard held in Abuja on Thursday, themed ‘Strengthening Accountability for Health Security Financing and Vaccine Equity Access in Nigeria’.
The event brought together representatives from government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), civil society groups, and the media to assess Nigeria’s progress in financing health security and ensuring equitable access to life-saving vaccines.
The initiative was implemented by the Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria (HERFON), Vaccine Network for Disease Control (VNDC), and the GEM Hub Initiative, with support from the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN).
Dr. Celestine Okorie, Executive Secretary of HERFON, described the gathering as “a significant milestone in our collective effort to promote responsible financing and ensure equitable access to vaccine and health security.”
He noted that over the past 20 months, the project has brought together stakeholders to monitor investments in health security and evaluate how effectively public funds are used to reach vulnerable populations.
“This initiative represents a bold collaborative stride towards building a resilient and accountable health system. As we validate the findings of the scorecard, we are not only examining data but the lived realities these numbers reflect.
Let us use this platform to refine strategies and reaffirm our commitment to sustainable health financing,” Okorie said.
Presenting key findings, VNDC’s Head of Programs, Chika Nwankwo, highlighted the challenges encountered while tracking budget allocations and expenditures. She pointed to discrepancies between data found online and those obtained directly from MDAs.
“Most expenditures and financial reports are not publicly accessible. Even when available, they are often limited to projects supported by development partners.
“This lack of openness makes it difficult to hold institutions accountable,” she explained.
Nwankwo underscored the importance of the scorecard validation meeting, noting that “Some indicators had to rely on information from agency websites, which often differed from what we received during direct engagements.”
She emphasized the need for a transparent data ecosystem, especially when it comes to monitoring spending on health security pillars such as disease surveillance, infection prevention, and antimicrobial resistance.
HERFON’s Program Manager, Dr. Opeyemi Adeosun, stressed that knowing how much is spent on critical areas of health security is vital to benchmarking Nigeria’s progress against global standards.
He criticized the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) for not publishing its 2024 financial report, while emphasizing that citizens have a right to access information funded by taxpayer money.
Adding a youth perspective, Zulaihatt Aminu of the GEM Hub Initiative urged that the scorecard be digitized and made accessible to young people.
“Preparedness is not just a policy, it is a practice. Youth represent the largest segment of our population and must be integrated into accountability processes. We are ready to contribute, not just as observers but as active participants in strengthening our health system,” she said.
From the public health emergency response perspective, Dr. Fatima Abubakar of NCDC, while welcoming the accountability initiative, said it aligns with the center’s goals.
“Platforms like this improve funding outcomes, particularly in areas such as preparedness and budgeting. We’ve seen progress and expect more impactful results over time,” she explained.
Dr. Agha Ukpai of the National Biosecurity Management Agency (NBMA) also stressed the critical role of biosecurity in Nigeria’s health landscape, saying, “Anything you do in biosafety and biosecurity should be inclusive. Collaborative efforts are essential to building a biosecure Nigeria,” he said.
Representing the Budget Office of the Federation (BOF), Dr. Anayo Ike said the initiative supports the government’s approach to integrated budgeting.
“Health security cuts across prevention, treatment, environment, and immunization. We are exploring how to adapt specific budget lines for health security to simplify tracking and performance assessment,” he said.
Also, Sadiq Sani, Budget Associate at AHBN, reiterated the network’s support for promoting fiscal transparency and citizen engagement, saying, “Our mandate is accountability.
“This initiative reflects our commitment to ensuring public funds translate into better healthcare access”.
