Bola Tinubu rallies traditional, faith leaders to drive health and nutrition reforms
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President Bola Tinubu has urged traditional rulers and religious leaders across the country to take a frontline role in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system and tackling malnutrition at the community level.
Speaking in Abuja at the 2026 National Traditional and Religious Leaders Summit on Health, the President said sustainable reform in the health sector would be impossible without the credibility and grassroots influence of monarchs and faith leaders. He described them as critical partners in translating government policies into action within households.
Tinubu identified maternal and newborn care, immunisation and epidemic response, as well as food security and nutrition, as priority areas requiring urgent collaboration. According to him, preventable deaths among mothers and infants remain unacceptable, while misinformation and vaccine hesitancy can only be effectively addressed through trusted community voices.
He called on traditional institutions to monitor the state of primary healthcare centres in their domains and demand accountability where services fall short. The Federal Government, he said, is working with state and local authorities to improve the functionality of health facilities nationwide.
At the summit, the President also unveiled the second batch of 774 National Health Fellows, with one fellow assigned to each local government area. He said the young professionals would serve as the operational backbone of community-based health reforms, helping to strengthen systems, improve data collection and support frontline services.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, presented a national health declaration outlining commitments by participants to expand access to immunisation, HIV, tuberculosis and malaria services, maternal care and nutrition support. He disclosed that Nigeria recently secured a memorandum of understanding with the United States government for up to $2 billion in health funding over five years, with a portion earmarked for faith-based providers.
The summit also featured the advocacy launch of a National Community Food Bank Programme championed by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu. The initiative, designed to address Nigeria’s high child stunting rate, will identify caregivers of children under six through primary health centres and provide nutritional counselling alongside food vouchers redeemable for locally produced meals.
Religious leaders, including representatives of Christian and Islamic bodies, pledged to mobilise their congregations in support of the health reforms, while traditional rulers committed to countering misinformation and encouraging community participation. Development partners such as the World Health Organisation and the World Bank also signalled support for the renewed health sector agenda.
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