The Abia State Government has won prize money of $500,000, estimated at about N750 million naira, after emerging the Southeast Champion in the 2025 Primary Health leadership competition.
The state also ranked sixth among the top six performing states in Nigeria in the highly competitive assessment focused on Primary Health performance across the country.
The disclosure was made by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, during this week’s Post Executive Council press briefing held at the Government House in Umuahia.
According to the Commissioner, the recognition and financial reward followed wide ranging reforms introduced by Governor Alex Otti in the health sector, particularly within the Primary Health Care system.
He explained that the reforms have continued to deliver measurable results, placing Abia ahead of other states in the Southeast during the national assessment exercise.
“The massive reforms being embarked upon by this State government in the health sector have continued to bear very positive fruits,” Kanu said.
“Recently, Abia State emerged as the 2025 Primary Health leadership challenge winner in the Southeast and also emerged the sixth among the top six performing states in the country,” he added.
Kanu further stated that the competition was instituted by the Nigerian Governors Forum in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, UNICEF, and the Aliko Dangote Foundation, among other partners.
He said the initiative was designed to periodically measure and benchmark progress made by states using Primary Health Centre system indicators aligned with ongoing health sector renewal initiatives and interventions.
“The prize money won by the State is $500,000, which is about N750 million naira equivalent,” he said.
The Commissioner explained that the competition operates as a peer review programme, where governors assess performance in Primary Health Care delivery and overall health sector management across their states.
He maintained that the award further validates the transformative strides of Governor Otti’s administration in strengthening healthcare delivery in Abia State.
