The World Bank has approved a $40 million loan to support the expansion of financial protection for poor and vulnerable Nigerians under the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equality – Health Programme-for-Results (HOPE-Health-PforR). The program, which will run until June 30, 2029, aims to improve access to and utilization of quality essential healthcare services while building resilience across Nigeria’s health system.
The HOPE-Health program is backed by a $500 million credit facility from the International Development Association and a $70.01 million grant from the Global Financing Facility. The $40 million allocation is tied to Disbursement Linked Indicator 3 (DLI 3), which seeks to increase financial protection for poor Nigerians through health insurance and related schemes. The program targets equity in service delivery and aims to strengthen maternal and child health, expand digital infrastructure, and implement institutional reforms at the federal and state levels.
The $40 million allocation is structured under a performance-based model, meaning that the funds will only be disbursed to the Federal Government if specific targets are met and verified. A total of $272.5 million has been committed to Result Area 2 of the HOPE-Health program, which focuses on improving utilization of essential services. This includes $239 million in IDA funding and $33.5 million in grants.
The World Bank’s Africa’s Pulse report for April 2025 projected that poverty is expected to rise by 3.6 percentage points in Nigeria by 2027. However, initiatives like the HOPE-Health program and the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program aim to mitigate this trend. The CCT program has already benefited six million Nigerians in the past six months, with plans to enroll 15 million Nigerians by October.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, revealed that the ministry has adopted a new, more efficient approach to the CCT program. The ministry has digitized all households on the social register, providing them with digital identities, creating e-wallet accounts, and conducting physical verification. An independent team deployed by the World Bank verified the recipients of the CCT program, confirming that those paid were indeed on the social register.
The World Bank’s $40 million loan allocation is a critical intervention to reduce the financial burden on poor Nigerians. By increasing financial protection and improving access to quality healthcare services, the HOPE-Health program aims to build resilience across Nigeria’s health system and promote poverty reduction. With the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting 15 million households before October, the program is expected to have a significant impact on the lives of millions of Nigerians.
