…Scores 82.2%, meets NGF’s 67% benchmark.
Ekiti State has emerged second among 34 states evaluated in the Health Budget Performance Implementation Report released by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), covering the first three quarters of 2026.
Significantly, Ekiti was among only three states that met the NGF’s 67 per cent benchmark for health budget performance implementation, underscoring the state’s commitment to effective budget execution and sustained investment in healthcare delivery.
The state scored 82.2 per cent, trailing only Delta State, which ranked first with 84.4 per cent, while Bayelsa State came third with 68.3 per cent.
During the period under review, Ekiti also recorded a favourable performance in overall budget implementation, ranking among the leading states with a 65 per cent performance rating, further reflecting its commitment to fiscal discipline, adherence to budgetary provisions, and commitment to service delivery.
The report indicated that the 34 states collectively expended N1.15 trillion on the health sector during the first three quarters of the year. Ekiti allocated 5.1 per cent of its total budget to the sector, reflecting its prioritisation of healthcare services and infrastructure.
Reacting to the favourable rating, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Oyebanji Filani, attributed the achievement to the substantial investment in the health sector by the Governor Biodun Oyebanji-led administration, particularly in its commitment to Human Capital Development.
Dr Filani said the ranking was a product of deliberate government policies and sustained investments rather than a mere coincidence.
He disclosed that the administration had, in the last four years, renovated 110 Primary Healthcare Centres across the state to expand access to affordable and quality healthcare at the grassroots.
He added that all secondary healthcare facilities in the state had also undergone comprehensive rehabilitation and been equipped with modern medical equipment and drugs, while plans were at an advanced stage to construct three additional secondary healthcare facilities in strategic locations across the state.
The Commissioner noted that these interventions were designed to strengthen the healthcare delivery system, improve access to medical services and enhance health outcomes for residents.
Ekiti State has also recorded encouraging health indicators, including one of the highest life expectancies and among the lowest neonatal and child mortality rates in the country. These achievements reflect the government’s sustained interventions and coordinated efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of residents.
Beyond infrastructure renewal and equipment provision, the Oyebanji administration has recruited about 1,800 health professionals in the last four years, including medical doctors, nurses and other allied health personnel, to strengthen manpower capacity and improve service delivery across the state’s healthcare system.
