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The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has named Yobe State as the overall Best Performing State at the third edition of the NGF’s National Primary Health Care (PHC) Leadership Challenge Awards.

The announcement was made at an event held on Friday night in Abuja by the NGF, in association with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and UNICEF, with support from the Gates Foundation.

The NGF said the programme is designed to drive accountability and foster healthy competition among states to improve health outcomes and the quality of care delivered at the grassroots level. Yobe state won a grand prize of $700,000 for its outstanding commitment to strengthening primary healthcare services.

The state also won the Zonal Best Performing State award for the North-East, which carried a prize of $500,000, bringing its total winnings to $1.2 million. The zonal awards were also won by each geopolitical zone, receiving $500,000, while the first runners-up were awarded $400,000 each.

The runners-up for the best performing state awards included Gombe (North-East), Kwara (North-Central), Kaduna State (North-West), Anambra (South-East), Bayelsa (South-South), and Ogun (South-West). According to the NGF, the prizes awarded, totaling $6.1 million, are intended to be reinvested by the winning states to further enhance their primary healthcare infrastructure, services, and human resource capacity.

Other states that won the “ Zonal Best Performing State awards’’ were Nasarawa for North-Central, Zamfara for North-West, Abia for South-East, Rivers for South-South, and Osun for South-West. The NGF said the event was in line with the Federal Government’s National Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), which prioritises strengthening the PHC system as the foundation of universal health coverage. Addressing the gathering, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, congratulated all the winners and commended the state governors for their leadership and support towards improving health outcomes.

Vice President Shettima, who was represented by the Minister of Health, Dr Ali Pate said constructive competition, like the PHC Leadership Challenge, ensures that “Nigeria wins, said that the progress made in the health sector since the governors signed a long-term compact with President Bola Tinubu two years ago under the sector-wide programme, adding, “Between 2024 and now, we’ve seen 20 states surpassing their targets in 2024.” He noted that states have been increasing their budgetary allocations for health to ₦2.6 billion compared to what it was before, adding that a healthy individual is key to national development.

Shettima tasked state governors to increase their investments in healthcare, projecting that the total allocation to the health sector should reach at least ₦3.5 trillion in the next fiscal year, given the resources available to the states. He noted that Nigerians were still facing the challenge of affordability of healthcare services and added that the Federal Government was intervening to cut down the cost of drugs, diagnosis, and tests, especially for those who don’t have deep pockets, just as he stressed the need for state governments to support the FG’s efforts in that regard.

Shettima tasked state governors to increase their investments in healthcare, projecting that the total allocation to the health sector should reach at least ₦3.5 trillion in the next fiscal year, given the resources available to the states. He noted that Nigerians were still facing the challenge of affordability of healthcare services and added that the Federal Government was intervening to cut down the cost of drugs, diagnosis, and tests, especially for those who don’t have deep pockets, just as he stressed the need for state governments to support the FG’s efforts in that regard.

“For us, the spending on health care, we don’t spend it as an investment, because once you begin to look at investment, the next thing you will know will be return. “We see investment in health care as a necessary condition for people to survive in your states. So, we don’t think that this is money you are investing and that tomorrow you will get a commission. It is an essential part of your life,” Addressing journalists, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, assured that the $500,000 won by his state would be reinvested to refurbish some of the PHC centres in the state. He said: “It is very exciting to see someone recognising what you do, and I will continue to do more. We were spending our own money, and this is an additional fund, we are going to put the money in the PHC in Zamfara State.” He, however, said that while inadequate funding remained a major challenge, the Zamfara State government will continue to prioritise the health sector.

NGF’s Chairman and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said: “Notably, today marks exactly two years since that landmark Compact was signed by His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the 36 Governors, and our Development Partners. Represented by Nasarawa State governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, the NGF Chairman, added: “We are also happy to note that over the last three editions, we have witnessed remarkable improvements across the Federation. “The steady progress from the first to the second round—and now to the third—demonstrates clearly that when leadership is intentional and accountable, measurable and transformative change is possible.

“Indeed, over the last three years, States have increased their budget allocations to health, resulting in significant infrastructural upgrades across PHC facilities and expanded recruitment of human resources for health. “The combined health budget for the 36 States has grown from ₦831 billion in 2022, to ₦927 billion in 2023, ₦1.4 trillion in 2024, and ₦2.36 trillion in 2025—with 30% of these annual budgets dedicated to Primary Health Care. We have also begun to see reductions in institutional maternal mortality, reflecting the impact of these investments. “Additionally, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum has introduced a series of scorecards to track State commitments and promote accountability across key health initiatives.

“I am also pleased to announce that an expanded scorecard to track subnational commitments to the Health Sector Renewal Compact will be released in 2026, to enable us—as Governors—to transparently monitor and uphold the commitments we have made. “Looking ahead, we reaffirm our dedication to the aspirations of the Seattle Declaration. “The progress we have made through the PHC Leadership Challenge affirms that these commitments are not mere declarations but responsibilities we continue to pursue with diligence and focus—so that every Nigerian, regardless of location or circumstance, can access quality Primary Health Care,” the NGF Chairman said.