The National Coordinator of the Tinubu Health Sector Practitioners Alliance (TIHSEPA), Dr Ogechi Lokpobiri, has called on health practitioners across the country to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, citing government interventions in medical education, healthcare infrastructure, workforce development and health financing.
Lokpobiri said the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda had prioritised initiatives aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system, expanding access to medical services and improving the training and availability of skilled health professionals.
She made the appeal while highlighting what she described as progress in nursing education, medical training, emergency medical services, health insurance and maternal and newborn care.
The TIHSEPA coordinator also commended the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, and the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Olatunji Alausa, for their roles in advancing reforms designed to improve healthcare delivery and professional development.
According to her, stronger collaboration between the health and education ministries remains essential to producing competent professionals, upgrading medical institutions and improving healthcare outcomes.
Lokpobiri, wife of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, said sustaining investments in the sector would be necessary to consolidate ongoing reforms and address longstanding challenges in healthcare delivery.
Nursing Enrolment Rises to 115,000
Highlighting developments in nursing and midwifery education, Lokpobiri cited Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare figures indicating that annual enrolment quotas for nursing and midwifery training institutions increased from 28,000 in May 2023 to 115,000 for the 2025 academic year.
She said the expansion could increase the supply of trained health professionals and help address staffing shortages across hospitals and primary healthcare facilities.
She also cited the retraining of more than 69,000 frontline health workers nationwide and the Federal Government’s approval of recruitment waivers for 20,000 additional health personnel, with nurses and midwives expected to account for 60 per cent of the positions.
She welcomed the Nigeria Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery 2025–2030, which provides a framework for strengthening professional education, leadership, regulation and workforce development.
However, Lokpobiri stressed that increased enrolment and recruitment must be accompanied by improved welfare, adequate staffing, modern equipment and better working conditions.
She said retaining skilled professionals was critical to ensuring that investments in training translated into improved patient care.
₦110bn Investment in Medical Schools
On medical education, the TIHSEPA coordinator cited programme information indicating a reported ₦110 billion investment in 18 medical schools under the Federal Ministry of Education’s Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative.
The programme reportedly includes the rehabilitation of 12 engineering and technology faculties and the development of 20 institutions specialising in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medical sciences.
Lokpobiri said such investments could strengthen professional training, expand research capacity and improve the availability of skilled personnel in the health sector.
She, however, urged the government to ensure that beneficiary institutions had functional laboratories, modern equipment, qualified personnel and adequate clinical training facilities.
According to her, expanding student enrolment without corresponding improvements in infrastructure and practical training could undermine the quality of graduates produced by the institutions.
She called for effective monitoring to ensure that public investments delivered measurable improvements in training standards and professional competence.
New Health Projects, Ambulance Services
Lokpobiri also welcomed healthcare infrastructure projects announced by the Presidency in May 2026, including a laboratory complex at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital in Akwa Ibom State, a mental health and drug rehabilitation centre at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and an immunisation supply chain hub at the Federal Medical Stores in Oshodi, Lagos State.
Other interventions she highlighted included primary healthcare facilities in Kano and Delta states and initiatives aimed at improving emergency medical transportation.
According to the details she cited, the emergency response initiative comprised 145 tricycle ambulances, six boat ambulances and 79 ambulances for federal tertiary hospitals.
The plan also included the deployment of compressed natural gas-powered ambulances across all 73 federal tertiary health facilities.
She said the interventions could reduce delays in accessing emergency treatment, particularly in rural and underserved communities where distance and inadequate transportation often hinder access to healthcare.
Lokpobiri emphasised, however, that the vehicles and facilities must be properly maintained and supported by trained personnel and functional referral systems to achieve the desired results.
Health Insurance Enrolment Exceeds 22 Million
On healthcare financing, the TIHSEPA coordinator commended the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative for prioritising primary healthcare, expanding insurance coverage and improving coordination among the federal, state and local governments.
Citing government reports, she said health insurance enrolment had exceeded 22 million Nigerians by July 2026, representing an increase of approximately 35 per cent since 2023.
She said sustained expansion of insurance coverage could reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses and protect households, particularly low-income families, from financial hardship arising from illness.
Lokpobiri called for greater public awareness, effective implementation of insurance schemes and improved service delivery to ensure that more Nigerians benefited from health financing reforms.
She also advocated increased investment in domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing to boost local production of medicines, diagnostic products and medical equipment.
According to her, stronger local manufacturing capacity could reduce import dependence, improve supply-chain resilience and support the availability of essential medical products.
Maternal, Newborn Health Gains
On maternal and newborn health, Lokpobiri cited a 2025 review by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, which reportedly recorded a 17 per cent reduction in maternal deaths and a 12 per cent decline in newborn deaths across 172 high-burden local government areas targeted by specific interventions.
She said sustaining the reported progress would require continued investment in antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, emergency obstetric services and newborn care.
She also stressed the need for stronger collaboration among federal, state and local governments to extend interventions to more communities.
According to her, the availability of trained health workers, essential medicines, functional equipment and timely referrals remained critical to improving maternal and newborn health outcomes.
She called for effective monitoring and accountability to measure the impact of interventions and identify areas requiring additional investment.
TIHSEPA Seeks Continuity in Healthcare Reforms
As the 2027 presidential election approaches, Lokpobiri urged doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, laboratory scientists and other health-sector professionals to support Tinubu’s re-election, arguing that a second term would provide an opportunity to consolidate ongoing reforms and sustain investment in the sector.
“President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda recognises that the health of Nigerians is fundamental to the country’s productivity, prosperity and future. Investments in healthcare infrastructure, professional training, maternal health and insurance coverage provide a foundation for building a stronger health system,” she said.
She maintained that healthcare development required sustained funding, effective implementation of policies and stronger partnerships among government institutions and professional associations.
Lokpobiri added that the ultimate measure of the reforms should be their impact on Nigerians, including improved access to treatment, better patient outcomes, stronger health facilities and reduced financial hardship for households seeking medical care.
