Niger’s Health Common Fund assessed by the French Development Agency
Established in 2006, Niger’s Health Common Fund has already mobilized €91 million to bolster the country’s healthcare policies. A recent impact evaluation, detailed in the Africa section of the French Development Agency’s assessment report, highlights the fund’s effectiveness and suggests key areas for enhancement.
In Niger, where the healthcare sector faces chronic underfunding, a multi-donor initiative called the Health Common Fund was launched in 2006 under the guidance of the Ministry of Public Health, with initial support from the French Development Agency and the World Bank. Today, the fund includes six donors and has raised €91 million between 2015 and 2019.
Supporting national health priorities
The fund aims to enhance the health of Niger’s population, particularly women and children, by backing the implementation of the country’s Health Development Plan (PDS). By pooling partner resources, it strengthens the state’s ability to deliver healthcare services nationwide.
Key findings from the evaluation
The evaluation adopted a participatory approach, engaging central and decentralized ministry officials along with all partner stakeholders. Its findings informed the design of the AFD’s fourth funding tranche for the initiative.
Strengths identified:
- The fund has grown increasingly relevant over time, adapting its management to partner preferences while maintaining alignment with development priorities.
- It has tripled its annual budgets since 2018, thanks to clear, widely accepted procedures and strengthened ministry management capacities.
- The fund is the only reliable and predictable partner for regional health authorities, enabling them to finance annual activity plans.
- It has fostered strategic dialogue between the Ministry of Health and its partners, though coordination among donors still requires improvement.
Challenges to address:
- Insufficient tracking of funding, outputs, and outcomes hampers the ability to measure the impact of targeted interventions.
- Recurring concerns include the top-down nature of PDS planning and the weakness of its monitoring and evaluation systems.
Perspectives from Niger’s health leadership
“To ensure coordinated implementation of successive Health Development Plans and promote the well-being of the Nigerien people, the Ministry of Public Health, alongside technical and financial partners, established a donor common fund in 2005, operational since 2006. This mechanism aligns partner actions with national priorities, harmonizes interventions, and ensures predictable, stable international support.”
The AFD-led evaluation confirms the fund’s overall positive results, reinforcing donor confidence in the Ministry of Health. I urge all partners to reaffirm their commitment to this initiative, which stands as a national asset benefiting our communities.”
While the findings highlight tangible progress, they also emphasize the need for improvements in communication, program design, monitoring, and evaluation. To secure continued support, we must prioritize transparency and showcase the fund’s achievements in relation to the resources invested.”
Explore the full evaluation: Read the AFD Africa Evaluation Report