President Bola Tinubu has directed the compulsory implementation of health insurance across all federal Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in line with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act, 2022. The directive, announced on Wednesday in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, requires the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to issue a service-wide circular to enforce compliance. The move is aimed at ensuring broader health coverage for Nigerians, protecting workers, and reducing the financial burden of out-of-pocket healthcare costs.
Under the new directive, all MDAs are required to enroll their employees in the NHIA health insurance scheme, with the option of securing supplementary private insurance if desired. In addition, entities bidding for government contracts must now present valid NHIA-issued Health Insurance Certificates as part of their eligibility documents. The requirement also applies to applicants seeking the issuance or renewal of licenses, permits, and other official approvals. This makes compliance with the NHIA Act a key condition for procurement and regulatory processes.
To strengthen accountability, the NHIA will establish a digital verification platform to enable real-time authentication of Health Insurance Certificates. MDAs are also mandated to develop internal procedures, in collaboration with the NHIA, to confirm the authenticity of certificates submitted and to monitor consistent adherence to the policy.
The presidential directive reflects the administration’s renewed drive towards universal health coverage. While the NHIA Act of 2022 made health insurance mandatory, enrolment levels have remained relatively low. As of 2025, about 20.6 million Nigerians are covered, up from 16.8 million in 2023, with a national target of enrolling 44 million citizens by 2030. At a recent health financing dialogue in Abuja, the government reaffirmed that expanding access to affordable healthcare remains central to its agenda.
