RismadarVoice Reporters
February 17, 2026
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday charged young fellows under the Federal Government’s National Health Fellowship Programme to serve Nigeria with honour, humility and courage, assuring them that his administration would work diligently to secure their career paths.
The President spoke in Abuja during the first National Traditional and Religious Leaders Summit on Health, where he described the fellows as the driving force behind the Renewed National Health Alliance.
The National Health Fellows, drawn from each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, are part of the second cohort of the programme championed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to strengthen healthcare delivery nationwide.
“Today, I stand here with pride that our young people are proving yet again that Nigeria’s future is not something to fear; it is something to look forward to,” President Tinubu said.
He assured the fellows that the Federal Government, in collaboration with development partners, is working to secure their career progression within the federal structure. He also acknowledged the Health Minister’s request for state governments to host befitting graduation ceremonies for the fellows upon completion of their programme.
“To Cohort 2, the National Health Fellowship Programme represents a new Nigeria where talent and competence help you reach your full potential. This administration recognises and believes in the potential of our youth,” the President stated.
Tinubu urged the fellows to collaborate closely with traditional and religious leaders to enhance service delivery, describing them as the “operational backbone” of the national health alliance.
“You are the youthful force behind Nigeria’s health transformation. Bring structures where systems are weak, data where decisions lack clarity and energy where communities seek hope,” he added.
The President also called on traditional and religious leaders to support the government’s efforts to achieve universal health coverage, stressing that hope remains central to national renewal.
“We are building an inclusive, united and committed society to renew the hope of our people. Nothing good is achieved without hope, and we pledge to do everything possible to renew it,” he said.
He further reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to tackle insecurity, expressing confidence that Nigeria would ultimately prevail.
Earlier, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, presented the 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report to the President and commended his leadership in driving reforms in the health sector.
The summit attracted traditional rulers and religious leaders from across the six geopolitical zones, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III; the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli; and the Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ortese Ayatsev, among others.
The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Most Rev. Daniel Okoh, and the Deputy President General (South) of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Razaq Oladejo, pledged to champion community healthcare coverage within their constituencies.
