FSDH Moves to Bridge Nigeria’s Healthcare Financing Gap

In order to align healthcare delivery with sustainable capital to strengthen the country’s health system, FSDH Merchant Bank has convened key stakeholders across Nigeria’s healthcare and financial services ecosystem at its Health Sector Roundtable themed ‘Care Meets Capital’.

Delivering the keynote address, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, emphasised the importance of aligning public policy with responsible private investment to build a healthcare system that is both equitable and economically viable.

“Healthcare is both a social necessity and an economic imperative. If we are to build a system that is equitable, efficient and future-ready, we must intentionally align policy direction with responsible private investment and operational excellence. Sustainable healthcare requires innovative financing models, stronger governance frameworks and deeper collaboration between government and private capital,” Abayomi said.

In her welcome remarks, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FSDH Merchant Bank, Bukola Smith, highlighted the structural funding gaps within Nigeria’s health sector, noting that healthcare accounts for about 4.2 per cent of the 2026 national budget, while more than 70 per cent of total health expenditure is financed out-of-pocket by individuals and families.

“These figures tell a powerful story,” Smith said.