The Federal Government has expanded health insurance coverage to include about 20 million Nigerians and aims to reach 44 million citizens by 2030.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, announced this in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, noting that the milestone aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Nigeria’s steady progress toward achieving universal health coverage.
Providing an update on efforts to improve access to affordable healthcare, Pate revealed that in 2024, Nigeria recorded its highest-ever annual enrollment, adding over 2.4 million new beneficiaries, bringing the total to about 20 million insured Nigerians.
According to him, expanding health insurance remains the most effective way to reduce out-of-pocket health spending, which still accounts for about 70% of total healthcare costs. He added that social health insurance schemes now represent 90% of all enrollments nationwide.
Pate highlighted recent reforms aimed at improving care quality, including doubling the capitation fee for enrollees from ₦750 to ₦1,450 per person to enable providers to deliver consistent, high-quality services. Additionally, fee-for-service rates were raised by 380% based on actuarial evidence to ensure cost-reflective pricing that supports quality care.
He also announced the introduction of a “One-Hour Referral Authorization Code”, issued by insurers to healthcare providers to confirm referral approvals within an hour — a move designed to eliminate unnecessary delays and ensure faster access to specialist care.
To improve accountability, the Minister directed the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to begin covert monitoring of health facilities through “mystery shopping” to ensure that enrollees receive timely and dignified treatment.
“The evidence is clear,” Pate stated. “Hospital visits have surged from fewer than 10 million in 2023 to over 46 million by mid-2025.”
He emphasized that the ongoing reforms under the Renewed Hope Ministerial Performance Monitoring Bond are guided by ambitious 2030 targets — including nationwide health insurance coverage — aimed at building a system that ensures every Nigerian has access to affordable, quality healthcare.
Under President Tinubu’s leadership, Pate said, the government is implementing a people-centred health reform agenda, modernising infrastructure across all levels of care while expanding human resources.
Since 2023, nearly 120,000 health workers have been trained, while 2,500 doctors, nurses, midwives, and community health extension workers have been recruited to strengthen frontline services. Another 4,000 health personnel have been deployed to federal tertiary hospitals to close workforce gaps.
Pate added that reforms in the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and the NHIA are boosting patient confidence and service utilization, noting that as health insurance enrollment grows, Nigerians benefit from better quality care, stronger accountability, and greater financial protection.
He concluded that these achievements reflect President Tinubu’s vision of a healthcare system that serves every Nigerian — regardless of income or social status — and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to continue strengthening infrastructure, the health workforce, and reform efforts until universal coverage is achieved.
