By Abdullberay Ebbo
The age-old adage “Health is Wealth” is one that rings true for most people. It is one that has continued to define the trajectory of any and all administrations desirous of leaving a lasting legacy.
It is against this backdrop that Niger State, under the administration of Governor Umaru Bago, is experiencing a fundamental shift in healthcare delivery, one that is driven by a result-focused agenda targeting the state’s numerous Primary Health Care (PHC) systems. This intervention is not only ambitious in its scale but also precise in its ultimate execution, placing functionality, efficiency, and access at the heart of healthcare reform.
In my previous assessment, I wrote about Governor Umaru Bago’s declaration of a state of emergency and the journey so far.
Today, I’ll attempt to shed more light on the governor’s unprecedented intervention in primary healthcare facilities across the state.
At the centre of the Bago healthcare transformation is the phased construction of 100 brand new Level 2 PHCs across the 25 Local Government Areas of the state. These complete rebuilds are fully equipped with delivery rooms, solar-powered energy systems for 24-hour service, staff quarters, and medical consumables.
In May 2025, a few new PHCs were commissioned across 16 LGAs, with facilities launched in various locations including Bosso, Chamchanga, Paikoro, Bida, Gbako, Katcha, Kontagora, Gurara, Shiroro, Suleja, Wushishi, Mariga, Agwara, Lavun, and Lapai LGAs.
Beyond physical infrastructure, and to complement the reforms, Governor Bago’s administration further addressed the human resource gap in the healthcare sector by recruiting 1,500 new health professionals, ensuring that these centres are not just operational but adequately staffed with skilled personnel.
In a forward-looking move, the Senator Idris Kuta PHC in Minna is also being converted into Nigeria’s first Primary Healthcare Training Centre, a major investment in capacity building.
The impact of these strides has been immediate. Available health statistics already show an increase in antenatal visits, higher skilled birth attendance, and more patients accessing care across rural communities. This speaks not only to accessibility but also to a renewed and restored public trust in the state’s healthcare system.
To institutionalise sustainability and performance, the government has further introduced a grant of N5 million monthly for the best performing PHC. The idea of this grant is to reward excellence in service delivery, maintenance of facilities, and community engagement.
In total, over 150 existing PHCs are undergoing upgrades, while six centres have been converted into rural hospitals, with the General Hospitals in Minna, Kontagora, Suleja, and Tungan Magajiya undergoing remodeling.
Niger State has also established a Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in partnership with eHealth Africa and the Bill Gates Foundation, thereby integrating real-time disease surveillance and rapid response across all 25 LGAs.
Governor Bago’s healthcare agenda, therefore, represents a rare alignment of political will, deliberate investment, measurable outcomes, and a systemic overhaul with tangible results.
The state’s new healthcare architecture is not just about building clinics, it is about rebuilding the people’s confidence, saving lives, and setting a new national benchmark in subnational healthcare delivery.
Truly, Bago is building a #NewNiger.
