President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of the National Health Technology and Data Analytics Office (NHTDAO) as part of efforts to accelerate Nigeria’s transition to a digitally driven healthcare system.
The President also approved the appointment of Dr Obi Adigwe as the pioneer National Coordinator of the new office.
According to a statement, the NHTDAO will be domiciled in the Office of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare and will serve as a national platform for coordinating Nigeria’s digital health agenda.
The office is expected to reinforce rather than replace the statutory responsibilities of existing health institutions and agencies. It will harmonise and strengthen public and private institutions across the health sector, establish standards for interoperability, and drive the implementation of the National Digital Health Architecture approved by the National Council on Health in November 2025.
The new agency is also expected to coordinate health technology initiatives and promote the use of data analytics to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes across the country.
Dr Adigwe, who currently serves as Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), has been credited with advancing scientific innovation and technology-driven interventions in the health sector.
His achievements include coordinating the ¥300 million nanotechnology grant project and facilitating the AFREXIMBank grant that led to the establishment of Africa’s first Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) Training Facility.
He also led the development of a roadmap that secured an €18 million European Union grant, regarded as the largest on the continent within the thematic area.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Adigwe gained international recognition after leading what was described as the world’s first scientific analysis to debunk claims surrounding the Covid Organics preparation.
The President also approved the composition of the Office’s Steering Committee, which will provide strategic direction and oversight for the agency.
The committee will be co-chaired by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, and the Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Mr Olaniyi Yusuf.
Other members include the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako; the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ms Kachollom Daju; the Special Adviser to the President on Technology and Digital Economy, Mr Idris Alubankudi Saliu; and the National Coordinator of the Sector-Wide Approach Coordination Office, Dr Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq.
Also on the committee are the National Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative to Unlock the Healthcare Value Chain, Dr Abdu Mukhtar; the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Muyi Aina; the Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority, Dr Kelechi Ohiri; a representative of the National Information Technology Development Agency; and six representatives of state commissioners of health drawn from the country’s six geopolitical zones.
President Tinubu expressed confidence that the new office would accelerate Nigeria’s transition to a secure, interoperable and data-driven health system that improves healthcare outcomes for citizens in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of his administration.
