The West African Health Organization (WAHO) takes part in the national dialogue on health financing, a major event organized by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Affairs of Nigeria, from September 1 to 4, 2025 in Abuja.

Led by its managing director, Dr. Melchior Athanase Aïssi, the WAHO delegation joins this national initiative placed under the theme: «Reimagine the future of health financing in Nigeria». This high -level dialogue aims to rethink the current mechanisms of health financing and to explore innovative, sustainable and inclusive strategies to strengthen the Nigerian health system.

The opening ceremony was chaired by Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, Minister of Health and Social Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In his speech, he underlined the urgency of deep reforms to guarantee equitable and effective access to health care for all Nigerians, by emphasizing regional collaboration as a lever of progress.

Bringing together government officials, political decision -makers, technical and financial partners as well as experts from the health sector, this meeting offers a strategic thinking framework. It also marks a strong desire for the Nigerian authorities to involve regional institutions such as WAHO in the co-construction of solutions adapted to the realities of the country.

The WAHO, as a specialized ECOWAS institution for health, reaffirms through this participation its commitment to support its Member States in the strengthening of their health systems, in accordance with its mission of coordination of regional health policies.

The national dialogue will continue until September 4 with technical sessions, high -level panels and thematic workshops around innovative financinguniversal health coverage, and mobilization of internal and external resources..