In a recent announcement, the Nigerian Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) revealed that no fewer than 18.7 million Nigerians are now covered by health insurance as of the second quarter of this year. This marks a significant achievement in the agency’s efforts to expand health insurance coverage nationwide.
The announcement was made by NHIA’s Director-General, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, during the inaugural Quarterly Performance Dialogue held in Abuja. The event brought together the Federal Government, the 36 State Governments, and key stakeholders in the health sector to discuss progress and challenges in healthcare access.
Dr. Ohiri highlighted that the current coverage figure surpasses the target set for the period by an impressive 11 percent. He emphasized that this milestone underscores NHIA’s commitment to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) in Nigeria.
“The authority’s vision is centered on bridging the gap in healthcare access for millions of Nigerians and enhancing the overall quality of care. Despite this progress, several challenges persist,” said Dr. Ohiri. He noted that a significant challenge remains the uneven distribution of coverage, particularly the disparity between the formal and informal sectors.
To address these challenges, Dr. Ohiri outlined NHIA’s strategic plan, which focuses on leveraging data and technology to improve service delivery and patient outcomes. He mentioned that the authority is optimizing its operations and fostering citizen engagement to enhance healthcare access.
Looking ahead, Dr. Ohiri stated that NHIA has set an ambitious target to cover 20 million Nigerians by 2027. This goal is part of the authority’s comprehensive vision for achieving universal health coverage across the country.
The NHIA’s progress and future plans reflect a concerted effort to ensure that more Nigerians can access quality healthcare, thereby improving overall public health outcomes.
