The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, states that Plateau State is fast emerging as a national model for effective primary healthcare reform in Nigeria. He makes this known during the graduation ceremony of fellows under the National Health Fellowship Programme held in Jos.
Mediaplusng.com reports that the minister, represented by the Chief Medical Director of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), commends the Plateau State Government for implementing bold initiatives aimed at revitalising primary healthcare centres, expanding access, and strengthening grassroots service delivery.
The event brings together health experts, government officials, development partners, and traditional rulers to witness the graduation of seventeen young professionals under the National Health Fellowship Programme, alongside the onboarding of a new batch of fellows assigned to Plateau State.
Mediaplusng.com gathers that the National Health Fellowship Programme, approved in April 2024 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is designed to empower young Nigerians drawn from all 774 local government areas to drive innovation, improve accountability, and enhance service delivery within the country’s primary healthcare system.
Representing the minister, Dr. Pokop Bupwatda, Chief Medical Director of JUTH, highlights Plateau State’s progress in upgrading healthcare infrastructure, increasing budgetary allocations to the health sector, and expanding health insurance coverage, particularly for vulnerable groups such as mothers and children. He notes that these reforms align with the federal government’s broader health sector transformation agenda.
Mediaplusng.com further reports that stakeholders at the ceremony describe the graduation of the first cohort as a strategic milestone in building a new generation of health leaders committed to strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare value chain. The onboarding of a second cohort signals continuity and sustainability of the reform initiative.
Plateau State Deputy Governor, Josephine Piyo, describes the graduation ceremony as evidence of the state government’s deliberate investment in human capital development within the health sector. She emphasizes that empowering young professionals is critical to transforming primary healthcare delivery and achieving universal health coverage.
Earlier in her remarks, the Plateau State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Baamlong, congratulates the graduates and challenges them to apply their training toward improving healthcare outcomes in rural and underserved communities. He urges the fellows to champion preventive healthcare, community engagement, and data-driven decision-making.
The Plateau State Desk Officer for the National Health Fellowship Programme, Mworina Sunwar, underscores the importance of collaboration between federal and state institutions in achieving sustainable healthcare reforms. She notes that the programme provides structured mentorship, field experience, and policy exposure to enhance participants’ impact.
Health policy analysts observe that Plateau’s approach to revitalising primary healthcare centres—through infrastructure upgrades, workforce development, and insurance expansion—positions the state as a reference point for subnational reform in Nigeria. They add that sustained political will and accountability mechanisms remain essential to long-term success.
The National Health Fellowship Programme focuses on strengthening governance, improving service quality, and fostering innovation across Nigeria’s primary healthcare system. By deploying trained fellows to local government areas, the initiative aims to bridge gaps in capacity and promote evidence-based planning.
With the graduation of Cohort One and the formal onboarding of Cohort Two, stakeholders express optimism that the initiative will accelerate improvements in maternal and child health indicators, disease prevention, and community-based healthcare services in Plateau State and beyond.
As Nigeria continues to reform its health sector, Plateau’s progress reflects a growing commitment to resilient primary healthcare systems. The minister’s endorsement reinforces the state’s emerging role as a national example in grassroots health reform, capacity building, and inclusive healthcare delivery.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) takes delivery of responsibly sourced gold refined to London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) Good Delivery standards into Nigeria’s foreign reserves, raising total gold holdings to $3.5 billion. The milestone marks a significant step in the apex bank’s reserve diversification strategy and efforts to strengthen macroeconomic stability.
Mediaplusng.com reports that the gold is locally sourced and aggregated by the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF) through the National Gold Purchase Programme (NGPP). The programme integrates artisanal and small-scale miners under a responsible sourcing framework aligned with global best practices, including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Due Diligence Guidelines and the World Gold Council London Principles.
Speaking at a one-day workshop on strategies to maximise the economic benefits of minerals in Nigeria, CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso discloses that the apex bank acquires the monetary-grade gold in Naira at prices linked to LBMA benchmarks. He explains that this structure preserves Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves while strengthening gold holdings, as the transaction does not require deploying scarce foreign currency.
Mediaplusng.com gathers that the governor describes the development as a strategic intervention designed to enhance reserve accretion, reduce external vulnerabilities, and reinforce confidence in Nigeria’s financial system. By purchasing domestically refined gold, the CBN supports local value chains while advancing broader macroeconomic objectives.
Cardoso highlights evolving global reserve management strategies, noting that central banks worldwide are increasing gold holdings amid rising geopolitical tensions and market volatility. He emphasizes that gold is regaining prominence as a hedge against inflation and currency fluctuations, while critical minerals are reshaping global supply chains and industrial competitiveness.
Mediaplusng.com further reports that the workshop—convened by the CBN’s Corporate Secretariat and Reserve Management Departments—serves as a structured engagement platform with stakeholders across the gold value chain. The session aims to deepen collaboration, address sector challenges, and unlock opportunities within Nigeria’s mineral industry.
The CBN Governor stresses that Nigeria’s vast mineral and human resources can only translate into sustainable growth through prudence, long-term planning, and strict adherence to internationally recognised standards. He underscores that institutional credibility depends on transparent governance frameworks and compliance with global best practices.
Executive Secretary of the Solid Minerals Development Fund, Fatima Umaru Shinkafi, states that the successful delivery of LBMA-standard gold reflects the strength of Nigeria’s formalisation framework and due diligence systems. She notes that the NGPP demonstrates how structured aggregation and responsible sourcing can integrate local miners into global markets.
Also speaking, Kurtulus Taskale Diamondopoulos of the World Gold Council commends the collaboration between the CBN as sole off-taker and the SMDF as fiscal and supply chain manager. She describes the Nigerian Gold Purchase Programme as a model aligned with the twelve London Principles for responsible artisanal and small-scale gold sourcing.
President and CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Samaila Zubairu, reaffirms the corporation’s commitment to financing and formalising Nigeria’s mineral sector. He highlights the importance of reliable geological data, mineral processing infrastructure, and environmental safeguards in attracting investment and improving gold recovery rates.
Meanwhile, Executive Vice Chairman of Kian Smith Gold Company, Nere Emiko, underscores the need for Nigeria to build strategic gold reserves comparable to peer economies. She calls for expanded exploration, improved transparency, and stronger integration with commodity exchanges to optimise the nation’s mineral wealth.
Analysts say the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme aligns with the CBN’s broader strategy to enhance the quality of foreign reserves, reduce exposure to external shocks, and position Nigeria’s mineral resources as a pillar of long-term economic stability. By integrating responsible sourcing, local processing, and central bank acquisition, stakeholders believe Nigeria is charting a more sustainable path for reserve diversification and mineral sector growth.
