The Nigerian federal government has launched the $500 million Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity–Governance (HOPE-GOV) Program, aimed at enhancing the management of financial and human resources in basic education and primary healthcare. This initiative, supported by the World Bank, was officially announced in Abuja by the National Coordinator of the HOPE-GOV Program, Dr. Assad Hassan, during a briefing with Dr. Deborah O. N. Odoh, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
During the briefing, Dr. Hassan outlined the program’s financial structure. The $500 million credit facility is divided into two main components: a Program for Results and an Investment Project Financing. Of this amount, $480 million is allocated to incentivize states in achieving specific Disbursement Linked Results in both education and healthcare. The remaining $20 million will focus on program coordination, verification of results at the state level, and technical assistance for implementing agencies, including the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Dr. Hassan emphasized the program’s key objectives, which include increasing funding for education and healthcare, enhancing transparency and accountability in budgeting, and improving the recruitment and retention of teachers and healthcare workers. He stated, “For HOPE-GOV, our primary objective is to improve financial and human resource management in these two sectors.”
The program will monitor six Disbursement Linked Indicators to ensure accountability and effective use of funds, with assessments conducted by Independent Verification Agents before states receive financial incentives.
The HOPE-GOV Program has its roots in a World Bank approval dated September 26, 2024, following successful negotiations in August of the same year. Subsequent approvals from the Federal Executive Council occurred in February 2025, with the financing agreement countersigned by the federal government in April 2025. The program became effective in September 2025.
All 36 states of Nigeria, along with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have expressed interest in participating in the program. Subsidiary Agreements are currently being distributed to the states for signing. Under the Program for Results, state governments will be incentivized to invest in achieving the Disbursement Linked Indicators. Dr. Hassan elaborated, “The way the program is designed, you achieve something this year and you get incentivized so that you put that money back to work on the second year results.”
The program is set to employ interim verification agents to assess the results achieved by state governments in the first year. Dr. Deborah O. N. Odoh expressed her commitment to supporting the program’s objectives, commending the achievements noted within its early stages of implementation.
The HOPE-GOV initiative represents a significant investment in Nigeria’s future, with the potential to transform the educational and healthcare landscapes across the nation. As the program progresses, its impact will be closely monitored to ensure that it meets its ambitious goals.
