Nigeria has achieved a milestone in health coverage as the government rolls out a new National Health Insurance Reform Programme, with record-breaking enrollment figures reported nationwide.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Health, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, who highlighted that under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria is addressing the long-standing challenge of out-of-pocket healthcare spending, which continues to account for approximately 70% of total health expenditure.
“Out-of-pocket payments remain the dominant source of health care expenditure for most of our people, translating into higher costs and lower standards of accountability for providers,” Pate said.
According to the Minister, 2024 saw a record 2.4 million new Nigerians enrolled in the national health insurance scheme, bringing total coverage to over 21 million.
With newly introduced policy tools, the government aims to expand coverage to 44 million Nigerians by 2030, a move expected to significantly reduce personal healthcare costs.
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“As we modernize infrastructure across primary, secondary, and tertiary facilities in all local government areas, our record-breaking progress in national health insurance enrollment is aligning demand with Nigeria’s rapidly expanding supply of human resources and infrastructure,” Pate explained.
The reforms also include financial improvements for healthcare providers. Social health insurance now accounts for 90% of all enrollments nationwide, and the previously low capitation fee of ₦750 per person has been doubled to ₦1,450 to ensure providers are equipped to deliver consistent, high-quality care.
Pate also announced a new covert “mystery shopping” initiative to monitor healthcare providers and ensure enrollees receive treatment without discrimination or denial.
“It is my pleasure to provide detailed insight into these reforms, which include a new covert mystery shopping initiative to monitor providers and ensure that enrollees are not denied treatment,” he said.
