19.2 million Nigerians enroll in health insurance – NHIA

According to Kelechi Ohiri, Director General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), 19.2 million Nigerians have signed up for national and state health insurance, representing a 14% rise from the previous number of 16.7 million.

Given that the agency emphasised its goal of achieving a further 20% increase in enrolment by 2025, the milestone is viewed as an important step towards improving healthcare access nationwide.

He did, however, voice concerns about the disjointed health insurance system, which consists of 37 State health insurance agencies and 83 commercial insurers, characterising it as a barrier to developing a cohesive and effective healthcare system for Nigerians.

The DG praised the agency's accomplishments in healthcare reform during its end-of-year briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, attributing its success to cooperation with stakeholders and state health insurance programs.

He emphasised important programs like the Saving One Million Lives (SIGOP) program, which aims to lower maternal fatalities by removing financial barriers during emergencies, and the Fistula Care Program, which provides free treatment for women with obstetric fistula.

"Limitations should not prevent women from surviving life-threatening obstetric complications. In order to guarantee prompt care and subsequent enrolment in health insurance, we waive charges," the DG stated.

In more than 100 hospitals around the country, the agency increased access to Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) services, he said.

However, the DG voiced worries regarding Nigeria's disjointed health insurance system, which consists of 37 State health insurance agencies and 83 commercial insurers.

"Trust is crucial," he said, underscoring the need to restore public confidence, police adherence to regulations, and raise knowledge in order to increase enrolment. Nigerians must understand that access to care is guaranteed by insurance.

According to him, the NHIA raised professional fees by 40% and capitation rates by 60% to combat the rising cost of healthcare. Actuarial studies are still being conducted to make sure premiums are in line with industry norms.

Additionally, he said that the organisation has set high goals for 2025, such as increasing enrolment by 20%, expanding access to Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) services at more than 100 sites across the country, and working with the National Pension Commission (PenCom) to provide health insurance for retirees.
Furthermore, he revealed plans to launch a fully digital platform for enrollment, claims submission, and complaint management to enhance efficiency and user experience.

According to him, the NHIA has signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with 11 hospitals and partnered with organizations such as the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the African Center for Population Health Policy to sustain progress.

The DG reiterated the agency’s commitment to creating a system where every Nigerian, regardless of socioeconomic status, has access to quality healthcare.

“We are not just building a scheme; we are redefining healthcare delivery in Nigeria,” he said.
Acting Director of Enforcement Habib Abdulhameed revealed in his speech that from January to October 2024, 2,591 complaints were filed with the NHIA.

According to him, 913 of these were aimed at the NHIA itself, while 1,678 were against healthcare practitioners.

He claimed that the agency's decentralised complaint processing approach at the state level was responsible for its 82% complaint resolution rate.

He added that a strong monitoring and assessment system that keeps track of complaints and guarantees their timely response is responsible for the success.

According to him, the NHIA fined, suspended, and warned a number of healthcare providers for non-compliance in 2024. In all, 100 healthcare providers were sanctioned, with 97 of those instances being settled.