Nigeria Expands Health Insurance to 20 Million Citizens

More than 20 million Nigerians now have access to health insurance, marking a major step forward in a country where medical bills have long forced families to choose between care and financial ruin.

Minister of State for Health Iziaq Salako announced Wednesday that the government will enforce mandatory health insurance across all federal agencies. The move comes as Nigeria battles a critical gap: only 10 to 13 percent of the population has coverage, while out-of-pocket spending makes up 71 percent of all health costs.

"These figures underscore the twin challenges of insufficient investment and catastrophic health expenditure that push millions of Nigerians into poverty annually," Salako told attendees at a health conference in Abuja.

President Bola Tinubu recently signed an executive order requiring health insurance implementation across government departments, including a defined benefits scheme for retirees. The government now aims to exceed its 2027 target of 20 percent coverage by expanding enrollment and broadening benefits to include mental health, emergency services, and treatments for serious illnesses.

The new approach combines federal funding with state partnerships. States are being encouraged to meet health budget goals and match donor-supported programs, creating a sustainable path toward universal coverage.

The Ripple Effect

The health insurance expansion builds on other recent wins. Maternal deaths dropped from 576 per 100,000 births in 2018 to 512 in 2023. Skilled birth attendance rose to 53 percent, and childhood vaccination rates climbed to 39 percent.

Nigeria hasn't recorded a single wild polio case since 2020. Over 15 million girls received HPV vaccines to prevent cervical cancer. Laboratory capacity for disease testing jumped from five facilities to 129, with real-time surveillance systems now tracking health threats nationwide.

The government recruited over 37,000 health workers since 2023, addressing shortages that left the country with one doctor per 5,000 people. Emergency operations centers now operate in 32 states, ready to detect and respond to health threats within strict timelines.

These reforms connect to Nigeria's broader Health Sector Renewal Initiative launched in December 2023. The plan focuses on improving governance, ensuring quality care reaches all communities, and strengthening the country's ability to respond to health emergencies.

Salako acknowledged the pace needs to quicken for Nigeria's 230 million people, calling for stronger political commitment and timely funding releases. But the foundation is being built for a system where every Nigerian can access quality healthcare without facing financial disaster.