President Bola Tinubu has approved a N17 billion community-led development fund to drive grassroots interventions across Nigeria’s 8,804 wards.
Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ado Bako, made this known in a statement.
The President, the statement noted, also approved the upgrade of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Training Centre to the National Institute of Public Health and Infectious Diseases.
The Federal Government said the approval includes the establishment of a Community-Based National Social Action Fund Taskforce to oversee implementation.
According to the statement, each ward will engage verified community-based organisations or associations to execute projects, ensuring locally driven solutions.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, said the initiative represents a shift toward community-led service delivery.
He explained that interventions will cover areas such as nutrition support, provision of essential health commodities, and minor infrastructure upgrades in schools, health facilities, and sanitation systems.
The programme builds on earlier reforms, including the creation of the Social Action Fund in September 2023 and the Community-Based Procurement Platform approved in January 2026.
