By Gabriel Ameh
Abuja, Nigeria | January 19, 2026
Connected Development (CODE), a leading civil society organisation promoting social accountability and citizen participation in governance, has launched a new initiative aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s health security through improved transparency and accountability in public health financing.
This was contained in a statement signed by Nankpak Cirfat Communications Officer, Media Relations Connected Development (CODE)
According to the statement, the project, titled “Tracking BHCPF NCDC Gateway Funds for Strengthening Health Security in Nigeria (Project Track–BHCPF),” focuses on monitoring the utilisation of funds disbursed through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) gateway of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). The initiative is an analysis and capstone project of the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, supported by Resolve to Save Lives, and led by Hyeladzira James Mshelia and Abdulazeez Abdulmalik Hussaini.
The BHCPF remains Nigeria’s primary domestic financing mechanism for strengthening the health system. Within the framework, the NCDC gateway is the only channel that directly supports disease surveillance, outbreak response, laboratory systems, and emergency coordination. However, despite the rollout of BHCPF 2.0 in October 2025, which introduced stronger accountability and performance requirements, public access to information on NCDC gateway disbursements and utilisation remains limited.
CODE noted that Nigeria’s epidemic preparedness and response capacity is heavily dependent on sustained domestic financing for health security, adding that increased funding commitments have not been matched with transparent utilisation data. This gap, the organisation said, undermines effective oversight, performance assessment, and evidence-based advocacy.
The six-month project, running from January to June 2026, aims to generate actionable evidence to support improved oversight, learning, and sustained investment in epidemic preparedness and health security.
Under Project Track–BHCPF, CODE will deploy its proven #FollowTheMoney accountability methodology, which includes Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, policy and guideline reviews, administrative data analysis, and a targeted sub-national case study to assess preparedness outcomes.
Advocacy components will involve the development of policy briefs aligned with national budget and oversight cycles, structured engagement with key decision-makers and oversight bodies, and strategic media engagement to strengthen public accountability.
Key stakeholders for the project include the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Ministerial Oversight Committee on BHCPF, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, State Ministries of Health and Emergency Operations Centres, as well as civil society organisations and media partners.
Expected outcomes of the initiative include improved transparency around NCDC gateway disbursements, independent evidence to support oversight and performance assessment, strengthened data-driven advocacy for domestic health security financing, and the development of a replicable accountability framework for tracking health security investments.
“This project is a timely response to the critical need for transparency and accountability in how domestic resources for epidemic preparedness are utilised. Strengthening health security is not only about funding, but also about accountability and learning,” said Hyeladzira James Mshelia, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Connected Development.
CODE said Project Track–BHCPF reinforces its commitment to advancing transparency, accountability, and citizen-driven oversight in Nigeria’s health sector, while ensuring that domestic investments in health security translate into measurable preparedness and resilience outcomes.
