Lower than 30% of Nigerians are glad with public healthcare providers, based on the 2025 State Efficiency Index (SPI), highlighting that healthcare has change into one of many weakest hyperlinks in governance throughout the nation.
A nationwide evaluation by Phillips Consulting (PCL), launched on Thursday in Abuja and made accessible to the Information Company of Nigeria (NAN), evaluated the efficiency of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in public well being supply.
Phillips Consulting Restricted (PCL) is a Nigerian enterprise and administration consulting agency that gives digital consultancy, know-how assurance, and information analytics providers to drive innovation and improve organizational agility.
The agency assessed every area utilizing a mixture of goal information (70%) and citizen notion (30%) throughout key governance indicators.
The report revealed that, whereas some states are making progress in healthcare supply, most residents stay dissatisfied with the standard, accessibility, and affordability of providers.
The report highlighted healthcare as a recurring concern, with respondents constantly rating it decrease than different public providers.
Findings confirmed that fewer than 30% of Nigerians expressed satisfaction with healthcare in public hospitals, pointing to persistent gaps in infrastructure, personnel, and affordability.
State rankings and disparities
Whereas states reminiscent of Nasarawa scored among the many highest for hospital entry, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ranked thirty seventh in well being infrastructure, reflecting widespread public frustration over poor services and insufficient funding within the sector.
Equally, Benue, regardless of being rated extremely for hospital affordability, recorded solely 20% citizen satisfaction with the standard of care, indicating that affordability has not translated into higher well being outcomes.
In Kogi, healthcare indicators had been among the many lowest nationwide, with simply 16% of respondents glad with hospital affordability.
Excessive vs. low performing states
The report famous sharp disparities in healthcare supply between high-performing and low-performing states.
States that invested in recruiting well being professionals, upgrading hospitals, and enhancing affordability achieved greater rankings.
In distinction, states grappling with safety crises, poor infrastructure, and low capital expenditure fell behind.
The North-Central zone confirmed combined outcomes: whereas Nasarawa excelled in well being entry, neighbouring states reminiscent of Benue and Kogi struggled with weak hospital infrastructure and underfunded well being methods.
Public notion and key challenges
Public notion surveys revealed that healthcare constantly ranked among the many prime three areas of dissatisfaction, alongside roads and entry to wash water.
Respondents highlighted recurring challenges, together with shortages of medicine and well being staff, excessive out-of-pocket funds, and dilapidated services.
“Healthcare stays a urgent concern for Nigerians. Even the place hospitals exist, residents usually are not satisfied that they’re receiving high quality service.
“The pSPI findings are clear: residents need inexpensive, dependable, and accessible healthcare. States that ignore this danger falling additional behind in each notion and efficiency,” the report stated.
Coverage implications and proposals
Analysts stated that the findings underline the pressing want for state governments to prioritise well being as a governance benchmark.
They added that poor well being outcomes not solely weaken public belief but additionally sluggish financial development, improve poverty, and widen inequality throughout the federation.
The pSPI really useful elevated funding in healthcare infrastructure, recruitment of certified well being staff, and equitable distribution of providers between city and rural communities.
It additionally urged larger transparency in state well being spending, stronger partnerships with improvement actors, and focused interventions to handle native well being challenges.