President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a 17 billion naira community-led development fund to cover all 8,804 wards across the country. The approval also includes the upgrade of a major health training centre in Zaria to a national institute. The Federal Government says the initiative is designed to strengthen grassroots development and improve socio-economic conditions through projects determined at the community level.
The fund will be implemented through a newly established Community-Based National Social Action Fund Taskforce. Each ward is expected to partner with a verified community-based organisation or association to identify and execute priority projects based on local needs. The initiative builds on earlier reforms, such as the Social Action Fund created in 2023 and the Community-Based Procurement Platform introduced in January 2026, to support projects valued at up to 50 million naira.
Implementation is scheduled to run from March to December 2026 under a Programme Management Unit within the Sector-Wide Approach Coordination Office of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. The Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation have been directed to release the funds into a dedicated account to ensure proper execution, monitoring and accountability.
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The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, says the programme reflects a shift towards community-driven service delivery, with planned interventions including nutrition support, essential health supplies and small-scale upgrades in schools, health facilities and sanitation systems. In a related move, the government has approved the upgrade of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Training Centre in Zaria into the National Institute of Public Health and Infectious Diseases to enhance disease surveillance, research and emergency response capacity.
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