The World Bank and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have officially endorsed Nigeria’s Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) model as a leading strategy for sustainable health sector reform among developing nations.
SWAp: A Model for Efficiency
The endorsement came during the 2025 World Bank–IMF Annual Meetings in Washington, D.C., where Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, presented the country’s progress.
- The Approach: SWAp works by pooling both domestic and external resources into a single, unified framework. This process ensures that government and donor investments are aligned with national health priorities, leading to more efficient resource use and reduced duplication of efforts.
- Tangible Results: Minister Pate highlighted that the SWAp initiative is already showing measurable outcomes, particularly in revitalising primary healthcare centres (PHCs). In the first half of 2025, facilities supported by SWAp recorded over 80 million patient visits, a fourfold increase compared to the same period in 2023.
- International Recognition: Both the World Bank and WHO praised the coordinated approach, calling the SWAp framework a practical model for other developing countries aiming to strengthen health systems and improve accountability in funding. They pledged continued technical and financial support for its expansion in Nigeria.
The SWAp model, which was launched in 2024 with a $1.2 billion strategy, is a comprehensive effort to address key challenges like inadequate financing and staff shortages, ultimately moving Nigeria closer to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
