FG Begins Final Interviews For Health Fellows Programme
The Federal Government will on Monday, January 12, 2026, begin the final interview stage of the National Health Fellows Programme (NHF) 2.0, following a nationwide selection process that attracted over 150,000 applicants.
The programme, coordinated by the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) Coordination Office under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, is designed to produce one health fellow from each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas to support ongoing health sector reforms.
Officials said the fellowship, which targets young Nigerians, aims to build a new cadre of health system leaders who will drive innovation, accountability and community-based interventions at the grassroots.
According to the ministry, the selection process has been transparent and merit-driven, starting with digital screening and multiple stages of shortlisting before the final in-person interviews scheduled to hold across the states.
Each interview panel will include representatives of the World Health Organisation, State Ministries of Health, State Primary Health Care Development Agencies, academia, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, traditional institutions and the SWAp Desk Office.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said the programme reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to fairness and excellence in public service recruitment.
“We commend the massive interest shown by young Nigerians. This process is about nation-building and empowering outstanding candidates from every LGA to transform our health system,” Pate said.
Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, described the fellowship as a new model for talent discovery in the health sector, noting that the integrity of the process would ensure only committed candidates are selected.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Kachollom S. Daju, mni, said the programme was institutionalising transparency and excellence in public sector recruitment, adding that the selected fellows would represent the future of Nigeria’s health system.
Successful candidates will undergo a residential national training programme in Abuja before deployment to their respective local government areas.
