NHIS Enrollment Surpasses 20 Million, DG Reveals

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, has told the House of Representatives Committee on Health Services that the number of Nigerians registered under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has surpassed 20 million, an increase from the 16.8 million enrollees recorded in 2023.

Speaking at a session held at the National Assembly yesterday, Ohiri stated that the progress puts the country on a positive trajectory toward surpassing the 2027 presidential goal for achieving universal health insurance coverage across Nigeria.

He also provided an update on reforms and advancements made by the current NHIA leadership in expanding enrollment, enhancing the quality of health services, and tackling long-standing challenges in the healthcare system.

According to Ohiri, between 2024 and 2025, the agency implemented various measures to address issues such as drug unavailability, denial of medical care, and administrative delays.

These interventions included revising tariffs, updating facility accreditation requirements, penalising non-compliant Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) and healthcare providers, and introducing a strict one-hour timeframe for issuing authorisation codes for patient care.

He revealed that the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) is now supporting about 2.67 million people across the country, with 800,000 of those newly enrolled in 2025 alone.

Ohiri further noted that more than 7,500 women have benefited from the NHIA’s Fistula-Free Initiative and its Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care (CEmOC) program as of May 2025.

Breaking down the figures, he said 2,690 women underwent surgical repair for obstetric fistula at 17 specialised centres, while 5,289 women received emergency obstetric treatment at more than 200 health facilities nationwide.

He also announced that, for the first time, donor-funded healthcare programs have been incorporated into NHIA’s insurance structure, Pilot initiatives in five states are currently delivering health insurance coverage to individuals living with HIV and tuberculosis.

Ohiri stated that access to health insurance has now been established across the entire country, with all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory operating functional State Social Health Insurance Agencies (SSHIA).

Regarding complaint handling, he reported that in 2024, the agency successfully resolved over 80 percent of complaints from enrollees, marking a 21 percent improvement in response efficiency compared to previous years.

During the meeting, Chairman of the House Committee on Health Services, Hon. Amos Gwamna Magaji, highlighted the critical importance of accessible and effective health insurance services for all Nigerians.

He called on Ohiri to establish dedicated complaint hotlines at health facilities covered by the NHIA to enable patients to report service-related issues more easily.

Additionally, he requested that the Director-General submit verifiable records of the number of women who have benefitted from the agency’s fistula treatment and emergency obstetric care programs to the committee.