The World Bank has sanctioned three new financing initiatives amounting to $1.57 billion aimed at bolstering the health sector in Nigeria. This information was released in a statement by the bank’s Country Office today in Abuja.

The allocated funds are intended to enhance human capital development by improving health outcomes for women, children, and adolescents.

The World Bank stated, "Today, we have approved three operations totaling $1.57 billion to assist the Nigerian government in enhancing human capital through improved health services for women, children, and adolescents, while also building resilience against climate change impacts such as floods and droughts by enhancing dam safety and irrigation systems."

The new financing package comprises $500 million to tackle governance challenges affecting education and health service delivery (HOPE-GOV), $570 million for the Primary Healthcare Provision Strengthening Program (HOPE-PHC), and $500 million for the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria Project (SPIN).

The HOPE-GOV and HOPE-PHC initiatives will work together to help the Nigerian government enhance service delivery in the fundamental education and primary healthcare sectors, which are vital for improving the country’s human capital outcomes.

The SPIN project aims to improve dam safety and manage water resources for hydropower and irrigation in selected regions of Nigeria.

The HOPE-GOV program will assist Nigeria in addressing governance deficiencies within the systems and procedures of government in two essential human development sectors.

It will specifically target critical cross-cutting challenges and enabling factors related to financial and human resource management in the basic education and primary healthcare sectors.

The initiative aims to enhance the availability and effectiveness of funding for basic education and primary healthcare services.

It will promote transparency and accountability in financial management while improving the recruitment, deployment, and performance oversight of educators and healthcare workers at federal, state, and local levels.

Aligned with the government's recent health sector reforms under the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, the HOPE-PHC project seeks to elevate the quality and accessibility of essential reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health and nutrition services.

This effort aims to significantly lower maternal and under-five mortality rates and bolster the resilience of the health system, ultimately benefiting 40 million individuals, particularly those in vulnerable communities.

The HOPE-PHC project is supported by a concessional $500 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA) and an additional $70 million in grants from the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children, and Adolescents (GFF).

The GFF's contribution includes $11 million from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and $12.5 million from the Children’s Investment Foundation Fund (CIFF), which will be utilized to address the financing shortfall for primary and community healthcare, as well as maternal and newborn care at the hospital level.

This support also aligns with government initiatives to secure sustainable funding for family planning resources.

Additionally, the SPIN Program is designed to safeguard Nigerian citizens against floods and droughts by enhancing dam safety and operations.

The project will also facilitate the development of new and improved irrigation and drainage systems across an area of 40,000 hectares.

This initiative aims to assist up to 950,000 individuals, including households, farmers, and livestock producers, by providing access to more dependable, climate-resilient, and efficient irrigation systems. This will enhance water supply and boost agricultural productivity through improved management of irrigation water.

Under the SPIN project, the government plans to create a comprehensive master plan for hydropower and establish a structured public-private partnership for a hydropower initiative.

Fund Will Tackle Challenges Faced by Women and Girls

Ndiamé Diop, the World Bank's country director for Nigeria, stated that the new funding for human capital and primary healthcare is designed to address the multifaceted challenges faced by Nigerians, particularly women and girls, regarding access to and the quality of services.

"Investing effectively in the health and education of Nigerians today is crucial for enhancing their future employment prospects, productivity, and income, while also alleviating poverty among the most vulnerable populations."

"The SPIN program is timely and will safeguard Nigerians from floods and droughts in the regions where it will be implemented, while also facilitating an increase in hydropower generation." He further emphasized the World Bank's commitment to collaborating with the federal government and other stakeholders to implement these programs.