President Tinubu Grants Automatic Employment to 774 National Health Fellows

 In a significant move to bolster Nigeria’s healthcare system, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted automatic employment to 774 fellows participating in the National Health Programme. This announcement was made during the official launch of the programme in Abuja, where the President addressed the fellows assigned to monitor Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across all 774 local government areas in the country.

The National Health Fellows Programme is a pivotal component of President Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda,’ aimed at revitalizing Nigeria’s primary healthcare infrastructure. The initiative seeks to expose participants to best practices, equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to effect meaningful change in the health sector. The fellows, selected through a rigorous merit-based process from over 359,000 applicants, have been undergoing training since February 27, 2025, under the Sector Wide Approach coordination office.

During the launch event, President Tinubu emphasized the critical role of healthcare in national development, stating that no country can prosper if its people are unhealthy. He highlighted that sustainable development is only achievable with a robust healthcare system, and the fellows are integral to this transformation. The President’s declaration of “You are hired” underscores the administration’s commitment to strengthening the healthcare workforce and ensuring that the programme’s participants are absorbed into the system after their one-year tenure.

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, lauded the programme’s potential to drive innovation and impactful change in the health sector. He urged federal, state, and local governments to integrate the fellows into the workforce to support universal health coverage. The programme also aligns with the government’s plan to expand the number of PHCs from 8,809 to 17,618 by 2027, thereby enhancing healthcare accessibility nationwide.

This initiative reflects the administration’s dedication to improving healthcare delivery and underscores the importance of investing in human resources to achieve a sustainable and effective healthcare system.