Gombe clinches $400,000 prize at 2025 National PHC Leadership Challenge

Gombe State has once again reinforced its reputation as a front-runner in primary healthcare delivery after emerging second-best in the North-East at the 2025 National Primary Health Care (PHC) Leadership Challenge, winning a $400,000 performance-based award.

The award was presented at the PHC Leadership Challenge Awards Night held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, at a high-level ceremony chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The PHC Leadership Challenge, coordinated by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and UNICEF, recognises states that demonstrate measurable progress in strengthening governance, financing, service quality and sustainability of primary healthcare systems.

Global partners supporting the initiative include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Aliko Dangote Foundation.

Gombe’s latest achievement builds on its strong performance in previous editions of the challenge. In 2024, the state made history by winning the PHC Leadership Challenge Innovation Award, the first since the initiative’s inception, while also finishing second in the North-East — a feat that similarly earned it a $400,000 reward.

Represented by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, Vice President Shettima congratulated Gombe and other winning states, commending governors nationwide for the political will and leadership that have driven notable gains in health programme implementation.

He noted that the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, is committed to repositioning the health sector through increased budgetary allocation and sustained reforms, stressing that healthcare remains central to national development.

The Vice President also underscored the urgency of addressing lingering challenges in access to quality and affordable healthcare, particularly for underserved communities.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, explained that the PHC Leadership Challenge was designed to encourage healthy competition among states, improve accountability and ultimately enhance health outcomes for Nigerians.

On the sidelines of the ceremony, Deputy Governor of Gombe State, Manassah Daniel Jatau, who represented Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, described the award as a strong validation of the administration’s sustained investments and reforms in the health sector.

Since assuming office in 2019, Governor Yahaya has prioritised healthcare, declaring a state of emergency in the sector shortly after inauguration. This led to the revitalisation of at least one fully functional Primary Health Care centre in each of Gombe’s 114 wards, with many wards now hosting two or more facilities.

Secondary healthcare institutions across the state have also been comprehensively upgraded to meet rising service demands.

Beyond infrastructure, the administration has established key health agencies, implemented progressive policies and invested heavily in human resource development — reforms that have significantly improved health outcomes and expanded access to quality healthcare services statewide.

These efforts have positioned Gombe as a model state in the pursuit of universal health coverage in Nigeria.

The Gombe delegation to the award ceremony included the Commissioner for Health, Dr Habu Dahiru, and the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Abdulrahman Shuaibu.