The Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) Project in Nigeria supports the goals of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the government of Nigeria in efforts to advance health systems strengthening and expand sustainable health financing. Banyan Global leads integrating gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) and human resources for health (HRH) across the activity objectives in Zamfara, Plateau, Nasarawa, Lagos, and Kano states.

Banyan Global is conducting a GESI analysis that will inform the design of activity interventions. Through findings from this analysis, Banyan Global will define vulnerable populations, provide recommendations for improving GESI engagement on Basic Health Care Provision Fund implementation, and identify GESI champions in each state that should be engaged in the activity. Banyan Global is also leading LHSS’ HRH contributions in Nigeria by working to build states’ capacity to address health workforce management issues, with a focus on health workforce distribution.

Banyan Global is a subcontractor to Abt Associates on the $209 million, five-year USAID-funded LHSS project under the Integrated Health Systems award that works globally in up to 52 countries to strengthen their health systems as a means to achieve universal health coverage and improve population health and well-being. With an eye toward empowering countries to transition away from donor support, the project is strengthening the capacity of local organizations to lead implementation. Banyan Global is responsible for providing technical assistance to promote gender integration and social inclusion in LHSS activities that strive to increase financial protection, population coverage, and service coverage of quality essential services, LHSS’s three priority areas. Banyan Global also supports work to increase private investment in the health sector.