Stakeholders demand expansion of health insurance policy in Nigeria - Blueprint Newspapers Limited
Spread the wordStakeholders in the healthcare sector have raised alarm over Nigeria’s poor health insurance coverage. Raising the alarm at the 2026 public lecture and mid-year meeting of the Board of Fellows. . .
Spread the wordStakeholders in the healthcare sector have raised alarm over Nigeria’s poor health insurance coverage. Raising the alarm at the 2026 public lecture and mid-year meeting of the Board of Fellows of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (BOF-PSN), held at the Marriott Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, the stakeholders noted that millions of citizens remain one illness away from financial ruin “because they still pay for healthcare directly from their pockets”, urging governments, employers, professional bodies and private organisations to accelerate health insurance enrolment, particularly among Nigerians in the informal sector. Speaking, Chairman of the Board of Fellows, Pharm. Uchenna Uzoma Apakama, said only between five and eight per cent of Nigerians currently enjoy health insurance coverage, leaving traders, artisans, transport workers, market women and millions of other citizens exposed to catastrophic medical expenses. Pharm Apakama noted that the country’s low insurance penetration has continued to fuel poverty, as families are forced to finance healthcare from personal savings whenever illness strikes, adding that affordable and comprehensive health insurance must no longer be regarded as a privilege but as a fundamental pillar of national development and social protection. He urged members of the National Assembly to dedicate part of their constituency intervention funds to sponsoring health insurance premiums for vulnerable Nigerians and that labour unions, professional associations, market organisations, transport unions and community groups should embrace group health insurance enrolment as a sustainable means of expanding coverage across the country. Pharm Apakama said associations such as the National Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP) have already demonstrated that collective enrolment can successfully improve access to quality healthcare, and that members of the National Assembly to dedicate part of their constituency intervention funds to sponsoring health insurance premiums for vulnerable Nigerians. He also appealed to labour unions, professional associations, market organisations, transport unions and community groups to embrace group health insurance enrolment as a sustainable means of expanding coverage across the country, saying associations such as the National Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP) have already demonstrated that collective enrolment can successfully improve access to quality healthcare. The BOF Chairman further challenged philanthropists, charitable foundations and corporate organisations to include health insurance sponsorship in their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, insisting that protecting citizens’ health should become a national responsibility shared by both government and the private sectorFormer Minister of Health, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, who chaired the occasion, tasked Nigerians to begin placing the same value on their health as they do on their material possessions. Prince Adelusi-Adeluyi observed that while countries like Germany successfully institutionalised health insurance centuries ago, Nigeria continues to struggle because implementation has consistently lagged behind policy formulation. He urged pharmacists to champion health insurance advocacy nationwide, describing the profession as the backbone of Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system. President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, reaffirmed the Society’s commitment to supporting ongoing healthcare reforms and positioning pharmacists as critical drivers of insurance expansion at community level. Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, NHIA representative Pharm. Femi Adeoye said healthcare financing remains central to Nigeria’s health sector transformation. Stressing that universal health coverage cannot be achieved without eliminating financial barriers that prevent citizens from accessing medical care, he said, “the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda is providing strategic direction for expanding health insurance while strengthening healthcare quality through improved provider accreditation, digital innovation and workforce development. ”He maintained that the NHIA is deploying technology to simplify enrolment and improve access to healthcare services across the country. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Hygeia HMO, John Iwuajoku, in his remarks said more than 130 million Nigerians currently lack any form of health insurance, adding that poor public awareness, inadequate government funding and weak healthcare infrastructure are major barriers to universal health coverage. He then advocated the integration of existing national identity systems, including the National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN), into health insurance enrolment processes to improve planning, data management and nationwide coverage. President of the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy, Prof. Lere Baale, called for the full integration of community pharmacists into Nigeria’s health insurance architecture describing community pharmacies as the country’s most accessible healthcare facilities and said they should become frontline providers within the national insurance system. Prof Baale also advocated stronger collaboration among healthcare professionals to improve medication management and enhance patient outcomes. Managing Director of Ultimate Health HMO, Dr. Lekan Ewenla, said the initiative was developed to close the healthcare access gap affecting traders, artisans, transport operators and small business owners who remain outside the formal insurance system. Dr Ewenla noted that although more than 11 million Nigerians currently benefit from the Federal Civil Service Health Insurance Programme, millions working in the informal economy remain uninsured despite the 2022 amendment to the National Health Insurance Authority Act, which made health insurance mandatory for all Nigerians. “Our goal is not simply to sell health insurance but to make quality healthcare more affordable, more accessible and more equitable for every Nigerian,” he said. Head of Medical Services at Ultimate Health HMO, Dr. Chima Madu, explained that the package includes maternal and child healthcare, antenatal services, deliveries, neonatal care and cancer treatment support through NHIA-approved partnerships. Representatives of severalSpread the word