Joseph Bakare
The Kwara State Government has emerged the Best Performing State in the North Central Zone in the 2025 Primary Health Care (PHC) Leadership Challenge.
This outstanding achievement marks the third consecutive year that Kwara State has received this prestigious honour, a testament to the administration’s unwavering dedication to advancing primary healthcare delivery for the citizenry.
This year’s award comes with a $400,000 grant, designated strictly for strengthening PHC infrastructure and expanding access to essential services, in accordance with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) guidelines.
The award was received on behalf of the State Government by the First Lady of Kwara State, Prof. Amb. Olufolake AbdulRazaq; Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Ahmed El-Imam; Executive Secretary, Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KWSPHCDA), Prof. Nusirat Elelu; and Executive Secretary, Kwara State Health Insurance Agency (KWHIA), Dr Olubunmi Jentawo-Winter.
Expressing her delight, the Executive Secretary, KWSPHCDA, Prof. Nusirat Elelu, commended the Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for his visionary leadership, far-reaching reforms and sustained investment in strengthening the primary healthcare system.
“This award is yet another validation of the Governor’s steadfast commitment to building a resilient, people-centred primary health care system in Kwara State. It takes visionary leadership to sustain such progress year after year, and His Excellency has continued to demonstrate that the health and well-being of Kwarans remain a core priority.”
Prof. Elelu emphasised that primary health care remains the foundation and entry point of any effective health system, noting that the progress recorded over the past few years reflects deliberate policy choices, increased funding, facility upgrades and improved coordination across the 16 local government areas of the state.
She also appreciated the PHC Leadership Challenge Committee, management and entire staff of KWSPHCDA for their exceptional commitment, teamwork and professionalism that made this milestone possible.
“I sincerely commend the dedication of the Committee and all the staff of the Agency. Your commitment to duty, innovation in service delivery and passion for community health have once again placed Kwara State on the national map. This third consecutive win is a collective victory and a motivation for us to do even more.”
The Executive Secretary reaffirmed that the Agency will deploy the newly earned resources transparently and strategically to enhance service delivery, expand infrastructure and bring quality healthcare even closer to communities across the state.
The PHC Leadership Challenge is a peer-review initiative designed to inspire subnational governments to improve primary healthcare performance, strengthen accountability mechanisms and ensure sustainable health outcomes. Kwara State’s consistent excellence reinforces its position as a model for effective and inclusive PHC delivery in Nigeria.