HEALTH MINISTER ANNOUNCES MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH ICPC TO INSTITUTIONALIZE ACCOUNTABILITY IN HEALTH SECTOR

Abuja, Nigeria — November 17, 2025

The Coordinating Minister of Health, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, has announced a landmark multi-year partnership between the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) aimed at strengthening accountability and transparency in Nigeria’s health sector.

Professor Pate disclosed that the agreement will enable the ICPC to track and monitor all projects earmarked by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) in real time, particularly those connected to the nationwide upgrade of primary healthcare centres currently underway. According to him, the anti-corruption body will play a frontline role in verifying project execution and ensuring that completion certificates are issued only after thorough assessment.

“This partnership represents a decisive step toward institutionalizing integrity within the health system,” the Minister stated. “By empowering the ICPC to oversee project spending and implementation in real time, we are reinforcing our commitment to prudent use of public resources and delivering better value to Nigerians.”
Professor Pate further explained that the ministry has already deployed hundreds of Performance and Financial Management Officers across all local government areas in the country. These officers are working directly with the 774 National Health Fellows commissioned earlier this year by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, forming what he described as a robust accountability ecosystem at the grassroots level.
He noted that the collaboration with ICPC, along with the ongoing deployment of trained personnel nationwide, signals a renewed push for transparency, efficiency, and results in the management of health resources.

“Our goal is simple,” the Minister emphasized. “We want Nigerians to see and feel the impact of every naira invested in their health. This renewed focus on accountability will help rebuild trust and ensure that reforms translate into tangible improvements in service delivery.”
The partnership is expected to enhance oversight, reduce leakages, and ensure the successful execution of the federal government’s ambitious plan to revitalize primary healthcare across the country.