Experts Call for Accountability, Data-Driven Reforms as Nigeria Launches First Country Health Profile in Africa
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Nigeria has made history as the first country in Africa to produce a Country Health System and Services Profile (CHSSP) — a comprehensive 295-page report jointly developed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region, and the University of Nigeria’s Health Policy Research Group (HPRG), among others.
The report, unveiled in Abuja on Tuesday, paints a sobering picture of a health system that is “underfunded, inefficient, and inequitable,” warning that without urgent reforms, Nigeria risks missing its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) targets.
Speaking with journalists after the launch, Dr. Emmanuel Sokpo, Country Director of the Network for Health Equity and Development, stressed that Nigerians must begin to see healthcare as a fundamental right and demand accountability from both government and service providers.
“One key thing we need to know is taking health as people’s right, and then demanding for it,” Sokpo said. “If people start demanding for their rights when they visit a facility or when they don’t get the services they desire, then government and service providers will sit up.”
He further emphasized the need for civic action and legal accountability to drive reform, saying:
“Until people start taking government and health workers to court — getting lawyers to charge them to court — people won’t realize that actions have consequences. As far as the accountability system remains weak, things will continue as they are.”
Also reacting, Beth Kveling, Senior Policy Fellow with the London School of Economics (LSE) Department of Health Policy, lauded Nigeria’s leadership in health sector research, noting that the CHSSP would serve as a benchmark for reform implementation and progress tracking.
“It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with the Health Policy Research Group and WHO on this profile,” Kveling said. “We hope it forms a baseline description of the health system to work from as Nigeria brings in a range of reforms and measures improvement over time.” 
Kveling added that similar reports are underway in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Senegal, and Kenya, noting that Nigeria’s pioneering effort provides a valuable comparative framework for African countries.
Speaking on common challenges across African health systems, she noted:
“Every country is unique, but issues like data reliability and usage are common. Often, we know what to do — the data is there — but we must get it to decision-makers in a timely fashion to drive real change.”
One of the editors of the CHSSP and lead researcher, Professor Obinna Onwujekwe, described the publication as both a diagnostic tool and a “call to action.”
“The key message is that this report gives us evidence about where we are and where we should be going,” Onwujekwe explained. “It compares Nigeria with other African countries, helping us see our performance gaps and what needs to improve for the benefit of citizens.”
On the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), Onwujekwe expressed concern that the fund has not achieved its intended impact due to weak implementation and poor accountability.
“The Basic Health Care Provision Fund is not really making the impact it should,” he said. “If effectively implemented, it could make a huge difference, but for now, accountability around it needs serious work.”
He, however, expressed optimism that with sustained advocacy, political will, and media engagement, the report would not “end with the launch.”
“We have distilled the report into smaller policy briefs,” Onwujekwe revealed. “We also have a Minister who believes in evidence-based reform, so there’s political will. But the press must help broadcast this information to the public, policy makers, and legislators. We’re performing at 45% compared to Africa’s 54%, with 75% of funding coming from out-of-pocket — this must change.”
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammed Pate, represented by Dr. Kamil Shoretire, earlier described the challenges highlighted in the CHSSP as “surmountable”, assuring that government is committed to using the findings as a reform blueprint.
“The report provides a clear picture of where we are and what needs to be done,” Pate said. “The challenges are real, but they are surmountable with commitment, collaboration, and accountability.”
With the CHSSP 2025 marking a milestone for Nigeria and the continent, stakeholders agree that the real test will lie not in the launch but in the follow-through — translating evidence into action to save lives and strengthen the nation’s fragile health system.
