Presidency Allocates ₦970.8 Million to State House Medical Centre, Despite Continually Abandoning the Centre for Abroad Treatment

PAUL UTEBOR

Nigerian leaders seem to have perfected the art of travelling abroad for healthcare, frequently abandoning the services of the state house clinic and clocking more miles than most citizens do in a lifetime. Former President Muhammadu Buhari spent months in London for treatment, including a 104-day stay starting in May 2017 and several additional trips through 2022, totalling over 230 days abroad for medical reasons.

Before him, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was away for treatment in Saudi Arabia and Germany in 2009 for about 70 days, while Goodluck Jonathan had visits to Germany and the United Kingdom for medical check-ups during his tenure.

After leaving office, Buhari continued to travel for health care, ultimately passing away in London in July 2025. In 2023, the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, inaugurated the N21 billion Presidential Wing of the State House Medical Centre, stating that future presidents should no longer need treatment abroad.

Current President Bola Tinubu also travelled for medical attention, including a 90-day stay in the United Kingdom in 2021 for knee surgery, reinforcing the long-standing tradition of Nigerian presidents seeking care overseas while many citizens struggle to access basic health services at home.

Despite the consistent pattern of bypassing the State House Clinic in favour of medical treatment abroad, the Federal Government of Nigeria has to allocated substantial public funds to a facility that the presidency rarely patronises.

It was discovered that the 2026 Appropriation allocation for the State House Medical Centre places its total funding at ₦970,805,220, with the budget entirely financed from retained independent revenue and no provision for aid, grants, or external funding sources. The figures in the document show a budget structure heavily weighted toward recurrent and overhead expenditure, with comparatively lower emphasis on capital development.

Of the total allocation, ₦632,987,856 is earmarked for recurrent expenditure, accounting for well over half of the Centre’s total funding. This recurrent envelope is driven almost entirely by overhead costs, which also stand at ₦632,987,856, indicating that day-to-day operational expenses consume the largest share of the budget.

Within the overhead profile, spending on materials and supplies amounts to ₦434,165,507, making it one of the most significant cost centres. Closely following this is the allocation for drugs and medical supplies, which stands at ₦402,901,373, reflecting a strong emphasis on consumables required for routine medical service delivery. Uniforms and other clothing receive ₦31,871,014, while maintenance services – general are allocated ₦139,803,344, suggesting sustained expenditure on facility upkeep and service continuity.

Training-related costs are modest in comparison to other operational expenses. Training – general is allocated ₦36,273,482, while local training receives ₦36,273,482. Travel-related expenses include travel and transport – general at ₦22,745,243 and local travel and transport for training at ₦22,745,243, reflecting limited but recurring logistical movement associated with administration and staff development.

Capital expenditure for the State House Medical Centre in 2026 totals ₦345,817,364, representing a significantly smaller share of the overall budget when compared with recurrent costs. The capital allocation is spread across fixed asset purchases, construction, rehabilitation, and repairs.

Under fixed assets, purchases of fixed assets-general account for ₦274,902,554, while purchases of plant, machinery, and equipment stand at ₦274,902,554, indicating that asset acquisition remains the central focus of capital spending. Construction-related provisions are comparatively limited. Construction and provision of fixed assets – general is allocated ₦37,890,381, with the same amount provided for construction and provision of office buildings.

Rehabilitation and repairs also receive moderate funding. Rehabilitation and repairs of fixed assets in general are allocated ₦32,934,429, mirrored by rehabilitation and repairs of office buildings at ₦32,934,429, pointing to maintenance-focused capital intervention rather than large-scale expansion.

The project breakdown further shows that all listed projects are classified as ongoing. These include annual routine maintenance of medical equipment at SHMC and the wing with an allocation of ₦61,574,333, replacement and upgrading of buildings and infrastructure at the SHMC at ₦9,346,666, and procurement of medical equipment for SHMC and the wing amounting to ₦213,418,001. Additional projects include construction of two blocks of 24 units of three-bedroom flats at the SHMC with ₦23,193,515, construction of call duty doctors’ quarters for the State House Medical Centre at ₦6,713,303, facility management services at the State House Medical Centre at ₦23,867,563, and procurement and installation of in-house IT and dental wing infrastructure with ₦7,891,483.

The financial summary indicates that total expenditure equals total allocation, leaving a zero surplus or deficit for the year. With ₦632.99 million devoted to recurrent overheads and ₦345.82 million to capital investment, the 2026 budget profile for the State House Medical Centre reflects an institution primarily focused on operational continuity and asset maintenance, with limited fiscal space devoted to major new infrastructure or expansion initiatives.