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President Bola Tinubu has approved a ₦17 billion Community-Based National Social Action Fund to drive grassroots development across Nigeria’s 8,804 political wards, in a bid to strengthen local participation and improve service delivery.
The initiative was disclosed on Wednesday in Abuja in a statement by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, signed by Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations, Ado Bako. It will be implemented through a newly constituted task force to coordinate community-led interventions nationwide.
Under the programme, each ward is expected to collaborate with a verified community-based organisation to identify and execute priority projects tailored to local needs.
“The initiative will deploy community-driven interventions… with each ward engaging a verified community-based entity… to implement priority projects,” the statement said.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, described the fund as a major step toward decentralised development.
“This approach places communities at the centre of development… unlocking practical solutions that directly improve livelihoods and strengthen service delivery,” he said.
He noted that interventions will target critical areas such as nutrition support, provision of essential health commodities, and minor upgrades to schools, health facilities, and sanitation systems.
The programme is scheduled to run from March to December 2026, with a Programme Management Unit under the ministry overseeing execution.
Funding will be drawn from a ring-fenced intervention account managed by the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to ensure accountability and transparency.
The task force, chaired by the health minister, will include representatives from finance, humanitarian services, procurement, and anti-corruption agencies.
According to the ministry, the fund builds on earlier reforms, including the Social Action Fund introduced in 2023 and the Community-Based Procurement Platform launched in January 2026, designed to ease access for community organisations to execute projects of up to ₦50 million.
Nigeria continues to grapple with uneven development across many wards, particularly in rural areas. Data from the World Bank highlights persistent gaps in access to basic services, reinforcing the need for community-driven solutions.
Analysts, however, say the effectiveness of the initiative will hinge on robust monitoring mechanisms and safeguards against fund mismanagement.
In a related development, the President also approved the upgrade of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Training Centre in Zaria to the National Institute of Public Health and Infectious Diseases.
The ministry said the new institute will enhance Nigeria’s capacity for disease surveillance, emergency preparedness, and rapid response, serving as a hub for research, training, and workforce development.
