The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) of Nigeria has successfully enrolled over 23 million Nigerians into the national health insurance system. This milestone was announced by NHIA's Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, during the inaugural Civil Society Organisation (CSO)-Led Mid-Year Review of Nigeria’s National Health Sector Reforms in Abuja. The NHIA is shifting its focus from policy and legislative foundations to implementation, measurable results, and stronger protection for enrollees.
Dr. Ohiri emphasized that the success of health insurance should be measured by whether Nigerians can access appropriate care without financial hardship. He highlighted cancer as a prime example of why health insurance matters, as treatment can be expensive and prolonged. The NHIA has expanded its partnership with Roche for cancer care through a cost-sharing arrangement. Under this arrangement, Roche covers 50% of the cost, NHIA covers 30%, and patients cover 20%. Additionally, NHIA provides support ranging from up to N400,000 to full coverage for eligible radiotherapy patients.
The NHIA has also extended financial protection to people living with HIV and tuberculosis (TB) patients through the Global Fund Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health (RSSH) grant. As of September 3, 2026, over 51,000 people have been covered across Anambra, Ebonyi, Gombe, and Kwara states. The beneficiaries include over 46,000 primary beneficiaries and more than 3,700 household members. Among the primary beneficiaries, over 38,000 are people living with HIV, while over 7,400 are drug-sensitive TB patients and 594 are drug-resistant TB patients.
The NHIA has commenced accreditation of over 2,000 healthcare facilities ahead of the implementation of Global Fund GC8 and the planned nationwide expansion of HIV/AIDS and TB coverage in 2027. Furthermore, maternal and newborn health interventions have reached over 93,000 women and newborns through the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) and Fistula-Free programmes. These programmes cover all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with 286 CEmONC-empanelled facilities and 22 National Obstetric Fistula Centres and partner facilities.
The NHIA has also made significant progress in enrolling vulnerable populations, with over 40,000 women enrolled through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund. This has led to a 22% decline in case fatality at participating maternal health facilities, from 1,042 in the 2024 baseline to 810 as of August 2026. Additionally, over 2.7 million poor and vulnerable Nigerians have been supported through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.
Beyond expanding enrolment, the NHIA has strengthened its patient protection mechanisms. The authority has resolved 3,878 complaints and refunded over N14.2 million to affected enrollees. It has issued 368 warning letters and suspended nine healthcare facilities, while inspection teams have been deployed to monitor compliance with the one-hour treatment authorisation policy and other patient protection and quality-of-care requirements.
Despite the progress, Dr. Ohiri acknowledged that millions of Nigerians remain outside the health insurance system. He emphasized that the next task is to move from coverage to reliable access, from reliable access to better health outcomes, and from insurance membership to genuine financial protection. The NHIA has also increased provider payments, with capitation rising by 93% and fee-for-service reimbursements by 378%. Over 7,500 healthcare facilities have undergone digital assessment under the SafeCare quality framework to improve the quality of services available to insured Nigerians.
Key points
- The NHIA has enrolled 23 million Nigerians into the national health insurance system.
- The authority has expanded coverage for cancer, HIV, TB, pregnant women, and newborns.
- Despite progress, millions of Nigerians remain outside the health insurance system.
