Health Ministry, ICPC launch joint task team to strengthen oversight, prevent diversion of healthcare funds.
The Federal Government has declared zero tolerance for corruption in Nigeria’s health sector, warning that the diversion of healthcare resources could cost lives and undermine efforts to improve services nationwide.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, gave the warning in Abuja during the inauguration of a Joint Task Team established by the ministry and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Pate said the team would identify institutional vulnerabilities, strengthen preventive controls and improve oversight to ensure that public resources allocated to healthcare are transparently managed and properly utilised.
He said the initiative was established under a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the ministry and ICPC, with prevention at the centre of its mandate.
The minister said the government was already strengthening accountability mechanisms under programmes such as the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) 2.0, where 774 officers independently verify funds received and utilised across the 774 local government areas.
He added that the ministry was digitalising processes to track healthcare resources from allocation to utilisation, while verified National Identification Numbers (NINs) were being used to authenticate beneficiaries and reduce duplication.
Pate urged public servants, contractors, development partners and citizens to support efforts to expose misconduct and ensure accountability in the health sector.
Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Daju Kachollom, said the task team would be embedded within existing ministry structures and assess the utilisation of funds after each quarterly BHCPF disbursement.
ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu, said the initiative would give practical effect to the MoU signed between the commission and the ministry in October 2025 and strengthen preventive anti-corruption measures in the health sector.