The Transformative Health Financing (THF) Course is a strategic executive training initiative aimed at equipping Nigeria's state health leaders with the technical expertise and political acumen needed to drive sustainable health financing reforms. Convened from October 6-9, 2025, in Abuja, the program brought together Honourable Commissioners for Health from across Nigeria in close collaboration with the Nigeria Health Commissioners' Forum (NHCF) and the TEKANO Group, representing one of the country's most ambitious efforts to strengthen subnational leadership for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Isuna Technologies served as the convening partner, designing and executing a rigorous three-day program facilitated by world-class faculty, including Dr Christoph Kurowski (TEKANO Group), Dr David Evans (former WHO), Dr Eduardo González-Pier (Palladium), Professor Kara Hanson (LSHTM), and Professor Tim Powell-Jackson (LSHTM). The course guided commissioners through the core pillars of health financing—Resource Mobilisation, Pooling, and Strategic Purchasing—with a pragmatic emphasis on navigating the Politics of Reform.
The program engaged Nigeria's top federal health leadership, including opening addresses from the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and technical sessions featuring the Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr Muyi Aina, and the Director-General of NHIA, Dr Kelechi Ohiri. Through intensive, peer-to-peer dialogue, commissioners analysed Nigeria's fiscal realities, examined fragmented financing pools, explored strategic purchasing mechanisms, and developed actionable strategies for building political coalitions and engaging multi-stakeholders.
Early outcomes revealed critical consensus among state leaders: health financing reform requires both technical precision and political strategy, insufficient funding remains the primary bottleneck, unified sectoral advocacy is non-negotiable, and data-driven engagement with governors and state assemblies is essential for securing sustainable investments. Commissioners identified priority actions, including regular dialogue with finance commissioners, quarterly budget execution reviews, legislative advocacy for protected health funding, gradual integration of fragmented pools, and strengthened public engagement through civil society and media partnerships.
Isuna's convening infrastructure created a collaborative platform that translated global best practices into Nigeria's subnational realities, enabling commissioners to develop state-led action plans grounded in evidence and political feasibility. By powering the THF Course, Isuna is helping to reshape how subnational leaders approach health financing reform, advancing its mission to deliver strategic, high-impact interventions that strengthen health system governance and accelerate Nigeria's progress toward Universal Health Coverage.