Healthcare quality is an essential indicator of a country’s commitment to the health and well-being of its citizens, and steadily increasing healthcare spending is often a good sign. However, per capita healthcare expenditure in Nigeria has shown significant fluctuations over the past two decades, making it hard to tell its impact on the populace. The data below will provide a detailed overview of Nigeria’s healthcare spending per capita from 2000 to 2020 and break down the trends. 

How Did Nigeria’s Healthcare Spending Fare in the Early 2000s?

In the early 2000s, Nigeria’s healthcare expenditure per capita was relatively modest, at $17.65. This amount slightly increased in the following years, reaching $18.49 in 2001 and $18.06 in 2002. But it wasn’t until 2003 that there was a significant jump in healthcare spending per capita when it rose to $39.08. 

What Was Nigeria’s Healthcare Spending In the Mid-2000s?

In the Nigerian healthcare sector, the mid-2000s was a period characterised by rapid growth in healthcare spending. By 2004, the nation was spending $44.16 per capita, a significant increase from $39.08 in 2003. This upward trend continued into 2005, where the figure rose to $53.93 and jumped again to $65.72 in 2006. By 2006, Nigeria had made substantial investments in the healthcare sector, with a per capita spending of $69.15. 

Did Healthcare Spending Fluctuate in the Late 2000s?

The upward trend of healthcare expenditure continued into the late 2000s and reached an impressive $80.10. However, in 2009, healthcare expenditure per capita declined to $68.01, a strong indicator that healthcare investment during that time was volatile. However, it soon bounced back in 2010, with healthcare spending rising to $75.59. 

How Did Healthcare Spending Evolve in the Early 2010s?

The early 2010s were characterised by continued growth in healthcare spending. By 2011, the per capita healthcare expenditure had increased to $83.11; by 2012, it had risen again to $91.06. This upward trajectory continued well into 2013, where it was a decent $100.82, before peaking in 2014 at $106.12—the zenith of healthcare investment in Nigeria in over two decades.

How Has Nigerian Healthcare Expenditure Performed since the 2010s?

After peaking in 2014, Nigeria’s healthcare spending per capita started to decline, and by 2015, it had dropped significantly to $96.28. This decline continued into 2016, with spending falling to $78.24, but it didn’t stop there. The downward trend persisted in 2017 and 2018, with per capita expenditures at $72.77 and $65.70, respectively.

However, in the 2020s, there was a glimmer of hope and a slight sign of recovery when healthcare spending rose to $69.68 in 2019 and stabilised at $69.76 in 2020. Unfortunately, the end of the decade did not see a return to the peak healthcare investment levels seen in the 2010s. 

*All data cited in this report were sourced from https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/NGA/nigeria/healthcare-spending