The Lafiya – UK Support for Health in Nigeria has conducted a two-day training session for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Yobe, focusing on reviewing and tracking the state’s 2025 health budget.
This initiative, part of a broader partnership, aims to develop an advocacy strategy that will accelerate sustainable reforms in Yobe’s health sector. The Lafiya program, supported by the UK Government through the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, began in February 2020 and is being implemented by a consortium led by the Palladium Group. Its goal is to improve health outcomes for Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations.
Malam Bala Suleiman, Co-chair of the Yobe State Voice and Accountability Mechanism (YoVAM), emphasized the importance of the training at the close of the two-day meeting in Damaturu. He noted that the state has allocated 15 percent of its 2025 budget to health, and the CSOs will adopt strategies to ensure the proper release, implementation, and effective use of these funds in line with the Federal Government’s Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) initiative.
Suleiman, who also serves as the Director of Nursing Services in Yobe’s Ministry of Health and Human Services, praised Governor Mai Mala Buni for his efforts in securing this allocation.
Mr. Baba Kuchichi, Co-chair of the CSOs in the state, highlighted that the meeting aimed to analyze budget allocations, identify gaps in funding, service delivery, and implementation, and develop practical solutions to bridge those gaps. He also emphasized the CSOs’ readiness to collaborate with development partners to improve health outcomes in Yobe.
Al-Sheik Mustapha Damaturu, Secretary of the Knowledge Management Committee, welcomed the initiative, calling it a significant success. He urged the state government to ensure the effective implementation of the health budget to enhance healthcare service delivery across Yobe.
