HEALTH SECTOR'S JOINT ANNUAL REVIEW

Special Report: Nigeria’s Health Sector Joint Annual Review 2025

The Health Sector’s Joint Annual Review (JAR) has emerged as one of the most critical accountability and performance assessment platforms in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Convened annually by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the 2025 edition held in Abuja brought together government officials, development partners, private sector stakeholders, and civil society organizations under the theme “All Hands One Mission: Bringing Nigeria’s Health Sector to Light.”

This year’s review was particularly significant, as it highlighted both the achievements and the challenges confronting Nigeria’s health system in the wake of global disruptions and domestic reforms.

At the heart of the 2025 JAR was the announcement of major gains in health sector reforms, including a reported 17 percent reduction in maternal deaths compared to the previous year.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, emphasized that these improvements were the result of strengthened primary healthcare delivery, expanded immunization coverage, and targeted interventions in maternal and child health. The Permanent Secretary, Kachollom Daju, underscored the importance of the JAR as a forum for assessing progress, sharing lessons, and driving accountability across federal and state levelssciencenigeria.com.

The review also served as a platform for unveiling new strategies. The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, presented a blueprint to reinforce Nigeria’s health system resilience. He stressed the need for sustained investment, stronger collaboration, and accelerated reforms to ensure equitable and sustainable healthcare for all Nigerians. Salako noted that the past five years, marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and declining donor support from countries such as the U.S., U.K., and Germany, had exposed vulnerabilities in global health systems, making resilience and self-reliance more urgent priorities.

Beyond maternal health, the JAR highlighted progress in areas such as improved accountability mechanisms, better coordination between federal and state governments, and enhanced collaboration with international partners.

The review reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), which integrates diverse stakeholders into a unified framework for planning, monitoring, and evaluating health outcomes. This collaborative model has been credited with fostering transparency and ensuring that reforms are not only policy-driven but also community-centered.

The 2025 JAR was not merely a celebration of achievements but also a candid reflection on persisting challenges. Issues such as inadequate health financing, workforce shortages, and infrastructural gaps were openly discussed.

Stakeholders acknowledged that while progress has been made, Nigeria’s health sector still requires bold reforms to meet the Sustainable Development Goals and deliver universal health coverage.

The blueprint unveiled during the review is expected to guide future reforms, focusing on resilience, equity, and sustainability.

In conclusion, the Health Sector’s Joint Annual Review has become a cornerstone of Nigeria’s health governance, offering a transparent mechanism for measuring progress and charting the way forward.

The 2025 edition demonstrated that Nigeria is making tangible strides in reducing maternal mortality and strengthening accountability, while also recognizing the urgent need for deeper reforms and sustained investment.

It is a reminder that the health of a nation depends not only on policies but on the collective commitment of all stakeholders to ensure that every Nigerian has access to quality healthcare.