Health Budget: Kaduna Leaves Over ₦31 Billion Unreleased, Accesses Only 50% of PHC Funds — Tracker Reveals

Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna

Kaduna State accessed just about 50 percent of its Primary Healthcare (PHC) budget allocations between 2022 and 2024, leaving a staggering ₦31.07 billion unreleased, according to findings from the PHC Financing Accountability Tracker validated at a multi-stakeholder workshop.

The tracker, developed by the Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development under the EngenderHealth consortium partnership, exposed what stakeholders described as the single biggest threat to healthcare delivery in the state, failure to release approved funds.

Despite a strong allocation profile of ₦66.8 billion over three years, only half of the funds were made available for implementation, creating a massive financing gap that continues to undermine critical health interventions.

Presenting the findings, Ademuyiwa Damilola, Program Officer at LISDEL, noted that the problem is not poor planning or weak capacity, but a persistent breakdown between budget approvals and actual releases. 

This gap was most evident in 2024, where Kaduna recorded its highest PHC allocation of over ₦32 billion, yet billions remained locked and inaccessible.

The consequences of this funding shortfall are already visible across the health sector, according to the findings. 

Over ₦12.25 billion in approved capital funds was not released in 2024 alone, stalling key infrastructure and service delivery projects. 

Most notably, the PHC Board’s capital releases collapsed from 81 percent in previous years to just 4.3 percent in 2024, crippling efforts to upgrade 255 primary healthcare facilities across the state. 

Out of the ₦3.6 billion allocated for the project, only ₦99 million was released.

The funding freeze has also hit the most vulnerable populations. 

The Contributory Health Management Agency received zero releases in both 2023 and 2024, effectively halting health insurance coverage for those who depend on government support. 

At the same time, drug supply systems are under severe strain, with the Drug Revolving Fund receiving just 3.9 percent of its capital allocation in 2024, raising concerns about the availability of essential medicines.

Ironically, the report shows that once funds are released, they are almost entirely utilized, with expenditure rates nearing 100 percent across most MDAs. 

This, stakeholders say, clearly proves that Kaduna has the capacity to deliver results if only the funds are made available.

Amid the challenges, some bright spots emerged, for instance, Local Governments recorded an impressive 87.5 percent capital release rate in 2024, successfully executing projects at the community level. 

Similarly, the Basic Health Care Provision Fund maintained strong and consistent performance, further highlighting that effective funding models already exist within the system.

A dummy dashboard of the tracker was handed over to the ES of the SPHCB. 

In his closing remarks, Professor Jamoh, Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Primary Healthcare Development Board, acknowledged the importance of the tracker as a tool for financial transparency and planning. 

He assured stakeholders that the Board and the State Ministry of Health would leverage the insights generated to improve decision-making and strengthen the health system.

He also called for sustained engagement, emphasizing that continuous learning, data tracking, and stakeholder collaboration are essential to ensuring that the gains from the initiative are not lost.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Kaduna State House Committee on Judiciary and Primary Healthcare, Hon. Emmanuel Kantiok,  described the workshop as impactful, stressing that proper financing remains the backbone of an effective primary healthcare system. 

He urged that the knowledge gained be widely shared to strengthen service delivery across the state.

The validation of the PHC Financing Accountability Tracker has now laid bare a critical reality: Kaduna’s healthcare challenge is not a lack of funds, but a failure to release them.

Until this gap is addressed, stakeholders warn, billions will remain trapped in budgets while healthcare services at the grassroots continue to suffer.