Over the past five years, Gombe State has made significant strides in health sector reform, establishing key agencies such as GoHealth, GHSMB, and GODMA, and introducing biometric attendance to enhance workforce accountability. These reforms have expanded health insurance coverage to over 380,000 residents—including 100,000 vulnerable individuals—and contributed to notable improvements in child survival, with declines in infant and under-five mortality between 2018 and 2023.

Held from October 2–3, 2025, the Gombe Health Summit 2025 marked a defining milestone in the State’s journey toward universal health coverage (UHC) and system resilience. The maiden edition convened diverse stakeholders including national and states policymakers, development partners, academia, CSOs and media to celebrate the State’s achievements and chart the next phase of transformation under the theme: “Transforming the Health System in Gombe State: Accomplishments, Challenges, and the Next Frontier.”

DGI Consult provided technical support in the planning and execution of the summit, working closely with the Gombe State Ministry of Health and partners to ensure a well-structured and action-oriented event that will guide the next phase of Gombe’s health system transformation.

High-level dignitaries in attendance included Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; His Excellency, Alhaji Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, Executive Governor of Gombe State; and Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, Honourable Minister of Health and Social Welfare, among others.

The summit deliberations were organized around three thematic areas:

• Human Resources for Health (HRH): The Summit focused on workforce planning, capacity building, and equitable deployment. A major highlight was the launch of the Gombe State Health Workforce Strategic Development Plan (2025–2030) by the First Lady of Nigeria, providing a long-term framework for workforce production, retention, and motivation.
• Health Financing Amid Donor Transition: Discussions centred on strategies for sustaining health financing amid declining external aid, emphasizing domestic resource mobilization, public financial management reforms, and expanding health insurance coverage.
• Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp): Participants explored opportunities to strengthen integrated planning, partner alignment, and accountability mechanisms for improved coherence and efficiency across health programs.

In a landmark policy announcement, Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya approved the full implementation of the CONMESS and CONHESS salary structures for health workers, effective November 2025, representing an estimated annual investment of ₦3 billion in workforce motivation and retention.

The summit concluded with the adoption of a Communiqué of Action, presented by the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Habu Dahiru, outlining key commitments to expand GoHealth coverage, strengthen health infrastructure, enhance domestic financing, and institutionalize evidence-driven planning and coordination through the SWAp framework.

The Gombe Health Summit 2025 reaffirmed the State’s unwavering commitment to Universal Health Coverage and showcased its growing leadership in health system reform. Gombe State’s experience stands as a compelling example that transformational change is achievable through visionary leadership, accountability, and sustained investment in people and systems.