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By Lukman Olabiyi
Nigeria and 35 other high-burden countries are set to benefit from a fresh $806 million global financing boost aimed at ending preventable maternal and child deaths, following new commitments secured by the Global Financing Facility (GFF).
The funding, unveiled on the sidelines of the World Bank Group–IMF Spring Meetings, signals the start of the GFF’s new investment cycle under its TRANSFORM 2030 strategy, a five-year plan targeting lifesaving interventions for women, children and adolescents in the world’s most vulnerable countries.
Hosted by the World Bank Group, the GFF currently supports 36 countries, including Nigeria, with plans to expand coverage to 50 nations between 2026 and 2030.
Across Africa, 25 countries are among the beneficiaries, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
For Nigeria, where maternal and child mortality rates remain among the highest globally, the new funding is expected to bolster primary healthcare systems, improve access to essential medicines and scale up proven interventions for pregnant women, newborns and adolescents.
Under the TRANSFORM 2030 strategy, the GFF aims to mobilise up to $51.7 billion in combined financing. This includes $12.5 billion from the World Bank, $17.8 billion from development partners, and $21.4 billion in domestic resources.
Health experts say the scale of financing could significantly accelerate Nigeria’s progress in reducing preventable deaths, particularly in rural and underserved communities where access to quality healthcare remains limited.
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Speaking on the development, Vice President for People at the World Bank and Chair of the GFF Trust Fund Committee, Mamta Murthi, stressed the economic value of investing in health.
“The case is clear: investing in women, children and adolescents builds human capital, reduces poverty, and creates jobs and lasting prosperity,” she said, noting that a fully funded GFF could help countries deliver lifesaving care twice as fast.
The new commitments, already exceeding 80 per cent of the GFF’s $1 billion fundraising target for 2026 come from a mix of governments and philanthropic partners, including Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Part of the funding will support a newly launched Sustainable Commodities Access Programme, designed to tackle persistent supply chain gaps limiting access to essential drugs and medical supplies in countries like Nigeria.
A new innovation challenge fund will also scale up the Safer Births Bundle of Care, a data-driven maternal and newborn care model that has already shown success in reducing deaths in pilot countries.
Since its launch in 2015, the GFF has helped partner countries achieve measurable progress, with three-quarters reporting declines in childhood stunting and several emerging as global leaders in reducing maternal and child mortality.
With total confirmed funding now at $1.43 billion, global partners are urging increased contributions to meet the GFF’s $2.2 billion target and fast-track progress toward universal health coverage by 2030.
