FG, World Bank Launch $500m Education, Health Reform Programme

The Federal Government, in collaboration with the World Bank, has commenced implementation of a $500 million initiative designed to strengthen governance, financing, and workforce management in basic education and primary healthcare nationwide.

The programme, known as the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity–Governance (HOPE-GOV) initiative, focuses on addressing long-standing weaknesses in public financial management and human resource systems, particularly at the sub-national level.

Speaking in Abuja, the National Coordinator of the programme, Assad Hassan, confirmed the rollout while briefing senior officials at the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, where the initiative is domiciled.

He explained that the intervention was developed in response to persistent challenges in Nigeria’s human capital sectors, including high numbers of out-of-school children and underperforming primary healthcare centres plagued by funding gaps, staffing shortages, and weak accountability systems.

The World Bank-supported facility is structured around two financing components: a Programme-for-Results mechanism and an Investment Project Financing window.

Under the arrangement, $480 million has been allocated to incentivise states to achieve clearly defined results in basic education and primary healthcare. The remaining $20 million will support programme coordination, independent verification of outcomes, monitoring and evaluation, and technical assistance for implementing institutions.

Hassan said participating states will be assessed against six performance indicators, with funds released only after results are independently verified. He noted that the design encourages states to invest upfront in reforms, with performance-based incentives reinvested to sustain progress.

He identified three priority focus areas of the programme: increased financing for education and primary healthcare, stronger transparency and accountability in budgeting and audits, and improved recruitment and retention of teachers and frontline health workers.

All 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory have expressed interest in participating, with subsidiary agreements already forwarded for execution.

The programme received World Bank approval in late 2024, followed by federal endorsement and countersigning in early 2025, and became effective in September 2025.

Officials described the initiative as a shift from input-based funding to results-driven financing, aimed at improving service delivery outcomes and reversing Nigeria’s weak performance on global education and health indicators.