A new report by ActionAid has revealed that public sector austerity is driving a growing crisis in health and education across six African countries, including Nigeria, leaving workers struggling to afford essentials and communities without access to basic services.
The report, The Human Cost of Public Sector Cuts in Africa, released Tuesday, surveyed over 600 healthcare workers, teachers, and community members in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, and Nigeria. It found widespread salary reductions—between 10% and 50% for teachers—and that 97% of health workers now earn too little to meet basic needs like food, rent, and household expenses.
The study attributes these challenges to years of underinvestment in public services, worsened by International Monetary Fund (IMF) policies advising governments to cut spending in order to repay foreign debts. ActionAid warned that more than 75% of low-income countries now spend more on debt servicing than on healthcare.
“In 2024, Nigeria allocated only 4% of its national revenue to health, while 20.1% went to debt repayment,” said Andrew Mamedu, ActionAid Nigeria Country Director. “This is unsustainable. Governments must prioritize people over payments.”
The report describes failing systems, with overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating infrastructure, and inaccessible healthcare. Women are disproportionately affected, particularly frontline workers and mothers. A Kenyan healthcare worker, Maria, shared that unaffordable hospital fees are forcing women to give birth at home and travel long distances for maternal care.
Similarly, education systems are buckling. Around 87% of teachers reported lacking basic classroom materials, with many covering costs out of pocket. Maluwa, a teacher in Malawi’s Rumphi District, said managing over 200 students without adequate resources makes delivering quality education nearly impossible.
In Liberia, teacher Kasor described feeling “stressed and hopeless,” struggling to feed his family due to falling wages and lack of government support.
ActionAid also emphasized that the IMF’s austerity approach is not just financially flawed but a human rights failure. “Behind every budget cut is a woman frontline worker healing without medicine and teaching without tools,” said Judith Gbagidi, Governance Specialist at ActionAid Nigeria.
Roos Saalbrink, Global Economic Justice Lead at ActionAid International, called for urgent reform of global financial governance. “The current system reinforces inequality and places the burden of debt on the most marginalised. It’s time for a shift towards inclusive, democratic institutions like the UN.”
ActionAid is urging African governments to increase investments in education and healthcare, ensure fair pay for public workers, and explore progressive taxation to raise revenue instead of slashing vital services.
The organisation concluded that reversing austerity is essential to protecting the rights and dignity of millions across the continent.
