President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a ₦17 billion community-led development fund targeting all 8,804 wards across Nigeria, alongside the upgrade of a key health institution in Zaria to strengthen the country’s public health capacity.
The new initiative, anchored on the establishment of a Community-Based National Social Action Fund Taskforce, is designed to accelerate socio-economic development at the grassroots by empowering communities to identify and execute priority projects tailored to their local needs. Each ward will work through a verified community-based organisation or association to deliver interventions under the programme.
The approval builds on earlier reforms introduced by the Federal Government, including the creation of the Social Action Fund in September 2023 and the rollout of a Community-Based Procurement Platform in January 2026, which simplifies access for grassroots organisations to execute projects valued at up to ₦50 million.
To drive implementation, the government set a timeline which began on March 1, 2026, with completion expected by December 2026. Oversight will be handled by a Programme Management Unit domiciled within the Sector-Wide Approach Coordination Office of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Funding for the initiative will be drawn from a ring-fenced intervention account, with the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation directed to release the ₦17 billion to support execution, monitoring, and accountability.
Speaking on the initiative, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, said the programme represents a shift toward locally driven development. “This approach places communities at the centre of development. By enabling each ward to identify and implement its priority needs, we are unlocking practical solutions that directly improve livelihoods and strengthen service delivery where it matters most,” he said.
Pate explained that interventions under the scheme would span critical areas such as nutrition support, provision of essential health commodities including micronutrients and therapeutic foods, and minor infrastructure upgrades in schools, health facilities, and sanitation systems.
In a related development, President Tinubu also approved the upgrade of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Training Centre in Zaria to the National Institute of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, a move aimed at bolstering Nigeria’s capacity for disease surveillance, emergency preparedness, and rapid response.
The upgraded institute is expected to serve as a multidisciplinary hub for public health training, research, and workforce development, expanding access to advanced learning and strengthening the country’s readiness to manage infectious disease threats.
