Abuja, Nigeria — More than 1,500 health professionals under the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) have gone unpaid for 20 months, following a federal directive that withdrew funding from specific government agencies.
EHCON, created by Act 11 of 2002, serves as Nigeria’s foremost regulator of environmental health practices and has historically played key roles in national health emergencies, including the 2014 Ebola outbreak and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. During these crises, its officers were deployed across entry points and engaged in essential decontamination efforts nationwide.
However, in line with a 2023 circular signed by former Budget Office Director General Ben Akabueze, several professional councils, including EHCON, were marked to become fully self-funded by the end of 2024, with full discontinuation of federal support by December 2026. The move aimed to save over ₦27 billion.
Despite appeals from the former Minister of State for Health, Tunji Alausa, and partial exemptions granted to 13 health agencies, EHCON, categorized under the Ministry of Environment, was excluded from the 2024 budget.
In a recent memo dated April 30, 2025, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, urged President Bola Tinubu to approve funding for EHCON, citing the agency’s critical role in public health and preventive care.
By Taiwo Olatinwo | June 11, 2025
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