President Bola Tinubu has directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, to issue a service-wide circular to all Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) on the implementation of mandatory health insurance in line with the National Health Insurance Act, 2022.
However, Tinubu called for further, closer, and constructive engagement with the private sector on the act to ensure that businesses are not unduly constrained.
This was revealed in a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), on Wednesday.
Tinubu’s directive covers five key areas.
First, all MDAs are mandated to enroll their employees in the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) health insurance plan. Where desired, MDAs may take up supplementary private insurance coverage in accordance with the NHIA Act.
All entities participating in public procurement must present a valid NHIA-issued Health Insurance Certificate as part of their eligibility documentation.
This certificate confirms compliance with the mandatory health insurance requirement and serves as a condition precedent for continuing any procurement-related engagement.
The presidential directive also mandates all MDAs to require applicants to present valid NHIA Health Insurance Certificates as a precondition for issuing and renewing licenses, permits, and other official approvals.
According to the instruction, the NHIA shall create a digital platform to facilitate the verification of health insurance certificates, providing transparency and accessibility.
Finally, the order requires all MDAs to collaborate with the NHIA to create internal procedures for verifying the authenticity of submitted Health Insurance Certificates and ensuring continuous compliance monitoring.
Tinubu’s directive seeks to increase health coverage, protect workers, minimize out-of-pocket health-care costs, and encourage accountability in public and private sector collaborations.
The NHIA Act of 2022 mandates compulsory health insurance for Nigerians and directs NHIA to ensure health coverage for all Nigerians and take the required steps to achieve its goals.
Despite recent progress in the healthcare sector, national health insurance coverage remains dangerously low three years after the act was passed.
