Nigeria Begins Final Interviews For National Health Fellows 2.0
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, through its SWAp Coordination Office, has announced the commencement of the final interview stage of the National Health Fellows (NHF) Programme 2.0, scheduled to begin nationwide on Monday, January 12, 2026.
The development marks a major milestone in a highly competitive national process that attracted over 150,000 applicants from Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs). The NHF Programme is a flagship initiative designed to groom a new generation of health system leaders by selecting one Fellow from each LGA to learn, observe, and actively contribute to Nigeria’s ongoing health sector reforms.
The selection process has been comprehensive, inclusive, and merit-driven. It began with an open public call, followed by digital screening tools to enhance fairness and efficiency, and multiple layers of rigorous shortlisting. The final phase will see top-performing candidates participate in in-person interviews in their respective states.
Each state interview panel comprises key stakeholders, including the World Health Organisation (WHO) State Coordinator as Chair, representatives of the State Ministry of Health, State Primary Health Care Development Agency, academia, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) chair, traditional leaders, and the SWAp Desk Officer serving as Secretary. This multi-stakeholder composition underscores the government’s commitment to transparency, equity, and inclusive governance in health leadership development.
Speaking on the process, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, described the programme as a nation-building effort.
“This process is part of our nation-building. We commend the extraordinary interest shown by young Nigerians and reaffirm our commitment to fairness, transparency, and excellence. We look forward to meeting and empowering the finest candidates from each LGA, who will help drive the transformation of our health system,” he said.
Also commenting, the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, noted that the programme represents a new approach to talent discovery and human capital development in the health sector.
“What we are witnessing through this program is a new model of talent discovery and human capital development for the health sector. It is encouraging to see so many young Nigerians rise to the call to serve. The integrity of this process will ensure that only the most committed are selected to lead change from the grassroots,” he stated.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Kachollom S. Daju, mni, emphasized that the initiative is helping to institutionalize transparency and excellence in public service recruitment.
“This program is helping to institutionalize a culture of transparency and excellence within our public service recruitment processes. The Fellows we select will not only support health delivery—they represent the values and future we are building across the entire system,” she said.
Following the interviews, successful candidates will undergo a residential national training programme in Abuja before being deployed to their respective LGAs to drive innovation, accountability, and community-focused health interventions across the country.
