The Senate has taken a major step toward strengthening Nigeria’s health system with the passage of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2025 (SB. 900), sponsored by Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Ogun West), for second reading.
According to a statement signed by Chief Kayode Odunaro, Media Adviser to Senator Adeola, the bill seeks to repeal the existing National Primary Health Care Development Agency Act and replace it with a more comprehensive legal framework designed to promote accountability, effective coordination, and improved service delivery across the country’s primary health care system.
Leading the debate on the bill, Senator Adeola described primary health care as “the foundation of every functional health care system,” noting that it remains the closest form of health care service accessible to the majority of Nigerians.
“Despite the existence of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency since the early 1990s, and in spite of its statutory mandate, the framework guiding its operations has become outdated, disjointed, and inadequate to respond to present-day health challenges,” Adeola said.
He added that the new bill aims to ensure that Nigeria’s health care laws align with global best practices, particularly in areas such as digital health integration and community health insurance.
“In view of the fact that the current law neither captures the new realities of Universal Health Coverage, digital health integration, nor community health insurance, there is a need to bring the Act up to date and reposition the Agency as a driver of universal access to primary health care,” the senator explained.
According to him, the bill also seeks to “provide for clear governance structure and performance-based management, promote community participation through Ward Health Committees, enhance coordination between the three tiers of government, and facilitate integration of technology, data systems, and health research in primary health care.”
Supporting the bill, Senator Tahir Mugono (APC, Borno South) commended Adeola for what he described as “a visionary step toward revamping Nigeria’s basic health system,” saying that “the reform will bridge the gap between policy and implementation in rural and urban health facilities.”
Also lending his support, Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) said the bill “will ensure that primary health care becomes truly functional and accessible to the poor who need it most.”
Following overwhelming support from lawmakers, the Senate passed the bill for public hearing and further legislative consideration.
