Nigeria’s health insurance enrollment has reached 19.2 million at both national and state levels, marking a 14% increase from the previous figure of 16.7 million. The announcement was made by the Director General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Kelechi Ohiri, during the agency’s end-of-year briefing in Abuja.
This growth is seen as a significant step toward expanding healthcare access nationwide. The NHIA aims to achieve a further 20% increase in enrollment by next year.
Despite the progress, Ohiri highlighted challenges posed by Nigeria’s fragmented health insurance system, which includes 83 private insurers and 37 state health insurance agencies. He emphasized the need for a unified framework to improve efficiency and rebuild public trust.
Ohiri credited the agency’s achievements to collaborations with state health insurance schemes and stakeholders. Key initiatives include the Fistula Care Programme, offering free treatment for women with obstetric fistula, and the Saving One Million Lives (SIGOP) programme, which eliminates financial barriers during maternal emergencies.
The NHIA has also expanded access to Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) services in over 100 facilities nationwide.
“When women face life-threatening obstetric complications, financial constraints must not hinder their survival. We waive costs to ensure immediate care and subsequent enrollment into health insurance,” Ohiri stated.
The NHIA reaffirmed its commitment to raising awareness, enforcing regulatory compliance, and enhancing public confidence in the health insurance system to boost enrollment further.
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