President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to issue a service-wide circular mandating all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to implement compulsory health insurance in line with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act, 2022.
The directive, which spans five key areas, is part of efforts to expand health coverage, protect workers, reduce out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, and strengthen accountability across the public and private sectors.
Under the new order, all MDAs must immediately enrol their employees in the NHIA health insurance plan, with the option of supplementing coverage through private insurers in accordance with the law.
Additionally, government suppliers and contractors participating in public procurement must now present a valid NHIA-issued Health Insurance Certificate as part of their eligibility documents.
This certificate will serve as proof of compliance with the Act and a precondition for continuing procurement-related engagements.
The President further directed that MDAs should demand valid Health Insurance Certificates from applicants seeking licenses, permits, or other official approvals. To enhance transparency, the NHIA is expected to establish a digital verification platform for quick and reliable authentication of such certificates.
In the same vein, MDAs are to work with NHIA to develop internal compliance procedures to verify certificate authenticity and ensure consistent enforcement.
While affirming the government’s commitment to universal health coverage, President Tinubu emphasized the need for “closer and constructive engagement” with the private sector to avoid unduly burdening businesses.
The NHIA Act, signed into law in 2022, makes health insurance compulsory for all Nigerians. However, nearly three years later, coverage levels remain worryingly low, despite modest progress in recent reforms.
With the latest directive, the Federal Government hopes to accelerate the realization of the Act’s objectives and place Nigeria on a stronger path toward achieving universal health coverage.
