Public Funding for Infectious Disease Control in Nigeria: The Case of Sokoto State

This study examined the role of public funding in improving infectious disease control in Nigeria and developed a collaborative framework for sustainable funding. A mixed-methods research design was adopted, combining documentary analysis of secondary (aggregate national) data from the WHO Global Health Observatory with qualitative insights from stakeholder discussions within the Sokoto State context. Universal Health Coverage Service Index for Infectious Diseases (UHCID) served as the dependent variable, while public funding indicators – including public financing for infectious disease control (PFIDC), domestic funding measures (DFIDC1 and DFIDC2), and external funding for infectious disease control (EFIDC) – were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Ordinary Least Squares regression models. The findings indicate that actual domestic monetary expenditure on infectious disease control (DFIDC2) has a positive and statistically significant association with infectious disease service coverage (β = 0.000046; p = 0.049), whereas proportional expenditure indicators did not demonstrate statistically significant effects. The results suggest that absolute funding levels provide a more meaningful measure of government commitment than expenditure shares alone because the latter overstate commitment when the underlying monetary investment remains inadequate. Stakeholder evidence further highlights the importance of efficient resource allocation, surveillance systems, laboratory capacity, vaccination programs, digital technologies, and inter-agency coordination in strengthening disease control outcomes. Based on these findings, the study proposes a collaborative governance framework involving government, development partners, healthcare providers, researchers, finance experts, and communities to improve financing sustainability and reduce fiscal pressure on government. The study concludes that enhanced domestic investment, coupled with efficient expenditure management and strategic partnerships, offers a more effective pathway toward strengthening infectious disease control and advancing universal health coverage in Nigeria, particularly Sokoto State.