Digital Microplanning in Lagos: Transforming Primary Health Care with Planfeld

By Tijesu Ojumu

In Nigeria’s most populous state, a quiet transformation is underway—one that could redefine how health services reach millions. This transformation isn’t marked by ribbon-cutting ceremonies or grand speeches. Instead, it’s happening behind the scenes, in consultation rooms, in data dashboards, and through the steady work of planners, health workers, and technologists. It’s the digitization of microplanning, and in Lagos State, it might just change everything.

At the heart of this shift is eHealth Africa (eHA), in partnership with the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board (LSPHCB) and UNICEF. In May 2025, the organizations came together for an inception meeting that laid the groundwork for this bold new chapter: using technology to digitize and strengthen microplanning for primary health care (PHC) delivery.

Why does this matter? Because microplanning is the lifeblood of effective PHC. It’s how local governments decide where to send health workers, how many vaccines to procure, which communities need more outreach, and what gaps remain in the system. Done well, microplanning ensures no one is left behind. Done poorly or manually, it opens the door to inefficiencies, missed targets, and avoidable disease outbreaks.

Today, Lagos has a growing population of over 21 million people, many of whom rely on the public health system for essential services—from immunization and maternal care to malaria prevention and nutrition programs. With such scale comes complexity. Lagos is not a place where a one-size-fits-all health strategy works. Different local government areas (LGAs) have vastly different needs. Communities in riverine areas face completely different access issues than those in dense urban districts. Microplanning allows for nuance. And digitizing that process? That allows for real-time decision-making.

A group picture of eHealth Africa team and Lagos State Primary Health Care Board team members.

Through the Planfeld platform—developed by eHealth Africa—Lagos is now exploring how digital tools can simplify the entire microplanning process. Planfeld is a dynamic, user-friendly system designed to support data collection, service mapping, and planning workflows at the local level. It reduces the paperwork, centralizes information, and makes updates accessible across teams. With this tool, LGA health planners can visualize health service gaps, allocate resources more efficiently, and track implementation progress without relying on outdated Excel sheets or handwritten registers.

More importantly, it gives health workers and managers access to data they can trust. Imagine a scenario where a health facility can quickly identify which community was missed during the last vaccination round. Or a logistics team that can plan distribution routes based on real-time facility readiness. That’s not just efficient—it’s life-saving.

The inception meeting between eHA, LSPHCB, and UNICEF was more than a formality. It was a deliberate step toward co-designing solutions that work for the people who use them. Frontline workers, program managers, and system architects came together to share their realities and chart a path forward. This collaborative approach ensures that the digital tools being developed are not imposed, but integrated into workflows in a way that feels natural and sustainable.

This transformation also sends a powerful message: that digital health isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. As climate change, urbanization, and population growth continue to stretch public health systems, the only way to deliver quality care at scale is to equip decision-makers with timely, granular, and actionable data.

And that’s precisely where Planfeld shines. The platform doesn’t just digitize planning; it democratizes it. It empowers health workers with the information they need to advocate for their communities. It brings transparency to decision-making. And it gives Lagos—a mega city with mega challenges—a real shot at responsive, resilient, and equitable health care.

For eHealth Africa, this is more than a project. It’s a reaffirmation of its core mission: to build stronger health systems through technology and collaboration. Supporting the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board is part of a broader strategy to show how locally developed solutions can create impact at state and national levels.

The road ahead will not be without challenges. Change requires buy-in, infrastructure, training, and continued support. But if the energy in the room during the inception meeting was anything to go by, Lagos is more than ready. Health systems work best when they are built with the people who rely on them. And with digital microplanning, Lagos is proving that the future of health isn’t just digital—it’s local, inclusive, and already within reach.

To learn more about planfeld, visit: https://planfeld.ehealthafrica.org/

Advancing Public Health: Niger State Set to Inaugurate State-of-the-Art Emergency Operations Center

by Favour Oriaku

Following the successful commissioning of the Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) in Kebbi and Zamfara states earlier this year, the spotlight now shines on Niger State as they prepare to inaugurate their own EOC, marking the 11th such facility constructed and overseen by eHealth Africa across Nigeria. 

 The inclusion of Niger State in this initiative can be traced to the state being one of the critical regions in Nigeria’s fight against the circulating variant of the polio virus and other vaccine-preventable diseases. Aligned with the objectives of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) and its partners, this new EOC aims to enhance coordination and response strategies for Niger State.

Upon its completion, health stakeholders anticipate a state-of-the-art infrastructure that will streamline the planning and execution of public health interventions in Niger State. Through data-driven decision-making processes, the EOC promises to yield improved outcomes, benefiting not only the citizens of Niger State but also its neighboring regions.

During a recent site inspection, discussions with key figures including Eyitayo Samuel, the supervisory site manager, Dr. Abdullahi Usman Imam, Permanent Secretary of the Niger State Ministry of Public Health Care (NSMPHC), and Dr. Samuel Jiya, Director of Disease Control and Immunization at NSMPHC, shed light on the construction progress, and future collaboration prospects.

Eyitayo Samuel, the supervisory site manager, shared insights into the construction progress, affirming the dedication to quality and functionality. He stated, “The progress of the work reflects meticulous planning and execution, indicating a facility that is poised to meet its objectives effectively.

Dr. Abdullahi Usman Imam commended the meticulous planning evident in the design phase of the EOC, foreseeing its potential to significantly enhance primary healthcare services in Niger State. He affirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining the facility at world-class standards, allocating resources for its upkeep and even planning to establish a Data Center to complement its activities. Dr. Abdullahi Usman Imam remarked, “Looking at the progress of the work, it is obvious that a lot of planning has gone into the design phase, as It is already looking like a world class facility that would serve the purpose for which it is being built thereby making very significant impact on Primary Health care services in Niger state.”

He further stated, “The government of Niger state will ensure that a budget is set aside to ensure that the facility is maintained to world class standard. The government of Niger state has already set aside in its budget for this year to establish a Data center, this will complement the activities of the EOC.

Dr. Samuel Jiya emphasized the EOC’s role in fortifying the state’s immunization campaigns, likening them to strategic warfare where planning and execution are paramount. With the EOC as the central hub for coordination, he expressed confidence in the state’s ability to combat prevailing diseases effectively. Dr. Samuel Jiya stated, “The campaigns are like a war situation whereby a lot of planning and strategizing goes into play, and this EOC as well equipped would be the hub of that planning and strategizing, ensuring that we efficiently fight the existing variant of polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases, and kick them out of the state.”

The construction and management of the Niger State EOC by eHealth Africa, with support from The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Aliko Dangote Foundation, exemplify the potential for impactful achievements when communities, leaders, and partners unite for public health initiatives.