Crises in health, education to persist over frequent disruptions

…as 2026 budget offers little hope for education, health sectors

Many economists have raised doubts over Nigeria’s 2026 budget, among other things, citing power and debt risks in relation to resolving the challenges in both the education and health sectors, which experienced some disruptions in 2025 over unmet grievances.

Only last week, Akpan Ekpo, a
senior Nigerian economist pointed out concerns about the credibility of the federal government’s proposed 2026 budget, warning that ambitious projections risk faltering without structural reforms, fiscal discipline, and improved execution.

Akpan Ekpo, a professor of economics and public policy at the University of Uyo, said the budget’s assumptions expose long-standing weaknesses in Nigeria’s economic management, including erratic power supply, heavy dependence on oil revenues, rising debt obligations and a persistent failure to translate plans into results.

But sectorally, the budget offers little hope for education and health, two important social sectors that have suffered negligence at great costs to the nation.

Education Still Uncertain Future

Education is in dire need of funding and well anchored reforms benefitting from adequate stakeholders’ consultations. Though, the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) may have have finally concluded the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, bringing a long-running industrial relations crisis to an end after over 16 years of stalled talks, the mistrust, paper negotiations that may not translate to action, and other wider challenges in the education sector may still fester. This may seem the case given the allocation to Education and Health sectors in the current proposed budget.
Many hospitals are mere consulting clinics, drugs are far beyond what an average citizen can purchase, and many manufacturing concerns have exited the country.

What we are buying now, according to stakeholders, are imported drugs that are very expensive, some are even fake.

The proposed N2.48 trillion (around 4-6%) allocated to health in the 2026 budget falls far short of the WHO-recommended 15% (roughly N8.73 trillion), creating a deficit that hinders Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
This huge, significant funding gap compared to the Abuja Declaration (15% for health), with allocations stagnating around 4-6% of the total budget, effectively a cut due to inflation and population growth, despite absolute Naira increases.

There is also the issue of training of doctors which, coupled with brain drain of medical professionals, has further reduced to ratio of doctor per patients from the UN standard of 600 doctors per doctor to over 3000 per doctor.

Many experts spoken to by this newspaper decried the paucity of funds and the seeming reluctance of the authorities to recognize the need to properly fund the sector.
Professor Feranmi Alagbo, a retired consultant gynecologist, told Business Hallmark that unless the federal government makes amend in the likely supplementary budget the amount allotted to the sector “Is like scratching the surface of a huge challenge, as the amount is grossly inadequate to deal with the challenges.

The current attitude of government as reflected in the budget can cripples primary healthcare, essential medicine supply, and workforce needs.

Other experts not only acknowledged the smallness of the allocation, but points to a lack of fiscal discipline, stalled capital projects from previous years, and poor implementation, these they say raise concerns about budget credibility and real impact, despite government claims of prioritizing health as economic infrastructure.

Brain drain of Medical Professionals

According to a report from the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) released in May 2025, a total of 3,974 doctors left Nigeria in 2024, which was the highest number recorded in a single year within the last two decades.
Key figures released in 2025 regarding the brain drain include: Over 16,000 doctors left Nigeria in the seven years preceding April 2025, as stated by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate.
Nearly 19,000 doctors emigrated over a 20-year period (2005-2024 ), with the year 2024 showing a record surge in departures.
The mass exodus of doctors is primarily driven by factors, such as poor remuneration, inadequate working conditions, limited professional development opportunities, and insecurity.
There have always been strikes to force government into action, but these have always not achieved desired outcome. Healthcare analysts warned that the incessant strikes could worsen pressure on the public health system, noting that many low- and middle-income Nigerians rely on government hospitals and that being turned away or delayed could have life-threatening consequences.
Even for the stipend allocated to health, concerns mounts over weak implementation, policy unpredictability, and past delays (like potential 2025 budget extension) lead to poor-quality spending and erode investor confidence, despite government pledges for efficiency.
Dr. Bola Aworinde, chief medical director at Sunshine Hospital, Alagbado, told this newspaper that ” the allocation to health though small should be well used. It could be better used for critical health infrastructure, staffing, and essential medicines, rather than other large projects, highlighting an imbalance in resource allocation.
“Although the government frames health as economic infrastructure, the actual funding levels are seen as insufficient to drive real productivity and human capital development.
Contrary to the UNESCO and the World Bank recommendations for developing countries to allocate at least 26 percent or between 20 and 30 percent of their national budgets to health and education, respectively, Nigeria’s budgetary allocation to the sector is still far below the two global benchmarks.

Low Budget Allocations

While presenting the budget, Tinubu highlighted the importance of education to the accomplishment of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which is to make life more meaningful for every Nigerian.
But analysts insist the amount is sheer tokenism given the myriad of challenges in the sector ranging from inadequate funding to decay in the system.
Last year ( 2024), Education got N2.18 trillion (representing 9% percent. The frequent university strikes stem from the government’s failure to honor agreements with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) (ASUU), leading to chronic underfunding, poor infrastructure, unpaid salaries/allowances, and a lack of institutional autonomy, all exacerbated by a deep mistrust and inconsistent policy implementation that cripples the system, disrupts academics, and delays graduations.
Though government and ASUU have finally resolved the lingering points of disagreement over the 2009 Agreement, but analysts are worried about government faithfulness and sincerity given past experiences.

Long Standing Agreement

The agreement, according to a source in ASUU, was reached on December 23, 2025, following intensive engagements between both parties, and is expected to take effect from January 1, 2026, with a review scheduled after three years.
Key provisions of the new agreement include a 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff and significantly improved pension benefits.
Under the new pension structure, professors are to retire at the age of 70 on pensions equivalent to their full annual salaries, a long-standing demand of the union.
The deal also introduces a revamped university funding model with dedicated allocations for research, libraries, laboratories, equipment, and staff development.
In addition, it proposes the establishment of a National Research Council to fund research with a minimum of one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
It also confirmed that there is stronger university autonomy and academic freedom form a core part of the agreement, alongside provisions for elected academic leadership at the level of deans and provosts, positions to be occupied strictly by professors.
The agreement also guarantees that no member of the union will be victimized for their role in the prolonged struggle.
Confirming the development, an ASUU source said the agreement marked a major breakthrough for the university system after years of uncertainty.
“This is the outcome of sustained engagement and sacrifice by our members. It addresses salary, pension, funding, autonomy and governance issues that have crippled Nigerian universities for years,” the source said.
The source added that ASUU expects prompt implementation by the Federal Government to avoid a repeat of past failures.
“Our expectation is full and timely implementation. Government must demonstrate sincerity this time, while extending similar negotiations to other university unions to ensure lasting stability in the system,” the source stated.