The National Health Insurance Authority has revealed that it is now extending health insurance coverage to cater to more severe health conditions, including individuals living with HIV and tuberculosis patients. Pilot programs for this expanded coverage are already being implemented across four Nigerian states.
This development was disclosed during the annual general meeting of the Nigerian Association of Insurance and Pension Editors in Lagos.
Representing NHIA’s Director General, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, the Acting Director of NHIA’s Lagos regional office, Mrs. Aisha Abubakar Haruna, shared key updates on the Authority’s progress.
She revealed that the number of Nigerians covered by the national health insurance scheme has grown to 20 million, up from 16.8 million recorded in 2023, putting the NHIA at 99 percent of the 2027 presidential target.
He also reported an increase in enrollment through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, with an additional 800,000 people joining the scheme, bringing the total number of beneficiaries under the fund to 2.6 million as of May 2025.
He said, “As of June last month, NHIA has achieved 20 million enrollees in the health insurance. This was the combined efforts by the state health insurance agencies, health maintenance organizations and the National Health Insurance Scheme. As a matter of fact, we have exceeded the mandates that have been given to us by the president. He gave us a target which we exceeded in June.”
This remarkable growth in enrollees, he noted, was driven by collaborative efforts among the NHIA, state-level health agencies, and Health Maintenance Organizations.
He emphasized that the Authority had surpassed the goals set by the presidency ahead of schedule.
“We have a significant jump from 16.8 million Nigerians enrolled by 2023. By June 2025, we have hit 20 million. We have also embarked on addressing drug shortages and care delays via the multi-project strategy,” he added.
According to the NHIA chief, the Authority has made deliberate efforts between 2024 and 2025 to improve the healthcare system.
These include revising service tariffs, overhauling the accreditation process, enforcing a one-hour cap for care authorization, and eliminating past issues related to drug shortages, code issuance, and delayed provider payments.
