About the National Council on Health (NCH)
The National Council on Health (NCH) is Nigeria’s highest policy-making body on health matters, established under the National Health Act, 2014. The Act provides the legal foundation for the National Health System, defining its structure, governance, and standards for the regulation, development, and management of health services across the country.
The Council is chaired by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare and comprises State Commissioners for Health, Permanent Secretaries, and key health sector leaders at the Federal and State levels. It serves as the principal platform for collaboration, coordination, and consensus-building on national health policies, strategies, and reforms.
Through its annual meetings, the NCH sets policy priorities, reviews progress toward national health goals, and promotes alignment across the tiers of government and stakeholders to ensure equitable and quality healthcare for all Nigerians.
Historical Overview
The National Council on Health was inaugurated in 1961 following the creation of the Federal Ministry of Health in 1950, to strengthen consultation and coordination between the regional governments and the federal authority. With health listed as a concurrent responsibility under the Nigerian Constitution, the NCH became the unified forum for shaping national health policy and ensuring coherence in implementation across all states.
The first meeting of the Council in 1961 deliberated on a World Health Organization (WHO) proposal on malaria eradication. In 1962, a Technical Committee, composed of Permanent Secretaries and senior health professionals, was established to provide expert advice and technical inputs to the Council.
Over the decades, the NCH’s membership expanded from the initial four regions to include all 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Since inception, it has convened over 64 regular sessions and several special meetings, continuously guiding the formulation of policies and programmes that strengthen Nigeria’s health system.
Today, the NCH remains the cornerstone of national health governance, ensuring that policies, resources, and interventions across the Federal, State, and Local Government levels are harmonized to advance the country’s journey toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and improved population health outcomes.