President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of the National Health Technology and Data Analytics Office (NHTDAO), a major step toward accelerating Nigeria’s digital transformation in healthcare.
The President also appointed Dr. Obi Adigwe as the pioneer National Coordinator of the newly created office, which will operate under the Office of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare.
The NHTDAO is designed to serve as the central platform for coordinating Nigeria’s digital health agenda. Rather than replacing existing agencies, it will strengthen collaboration across public and private health institutions, establish national standards for interoperability, and drive the implementation of the National Digital Health Architecture approved by the National Council on Health in November 2025.
Dr. Adigwe brings extensive experience to the role, having served as Director General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD). He has led several landmark initiatives in artificial intelligence, pharmaceutical research, technology transfer, and innovation, including the ¥300 million Nanotechnology Grant, Africa’s first API Training Facility supported by AFREXIMBank, and an €18 million European Union grant for health research. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he also gained international recognition for leading the first scientific analysis that challenged claims surrounding the COVID Organics herbal preparation.
To provide strategic oversight, the new office will be guided by a high-level Steering Committee co-chaired by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, and Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Olaniyi Yusuf. The committee also includes senior government officials, health agency heads, technology experts, industry representatives, and state commissioners of health from the six geopolitical zones.
President Tinubu said the establishment of the NHTDAO is expected to accelerate Nigeria’s transition to a secure, interoperable, and data-driven healthcare system that improves service delivery and health outcomes for all Nigerians, in line with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
