NPHCDA, NHIA Outline Milestones in Primary Healthcare, Insurance Coverage

–        3,526 PHCs fully renovated; 23.02 million now enrolled in health insurance 

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, and the Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, have outlined progress in expanding access to quality primary healthcare and financial protection under the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative of President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking at a quarterly media briefing in Abuja, Aina said NPHCDA is making steady progress in its efforts to ensure that every Nigerian has access to high-quality, affordable and trusted basic services, working closely with NHIA and subnational governments.

In terms of the quarterly attendance for Antenatal service contacts in the facilities, NPHCDA boss said the rate has risen from 30 million to about 46 million 

He said agency prioritized improving quality and footprint of Primary Health Centres (PHCs).

He disclosed that refurbishment and revitalisation of 4,434 facilities has been undertaken, with 3,526 fully renovated, commissioned and handed over to states and LGAs, while work is ongoing in 908 others across all states.

Aina said facilities were selected using equity lens, considering existing access, distance and alternative providers. 

He said Level Two facilities have increased by over 59 per cent compared to March 2024, and 53 per cent of over 27,000 PHCs are now functional at Level One or Two.

He said Level Two certification requires reliable power through solarisation, water and sanitation, adding that all facilities can be tracked on its live dashboard.

On health workers, he said, “Over 78,000 skilled birth attendants have been retrained out of120,000 target set by President, with retraining of 23,000 community-based health workers underway to reach remote communities. Over 500 PHCs have been fully equipped by federal government”.

Aina said service utilisation has risen from 33-34 million contacts per quarter at start of journey to between 43-45 million, peaking at 46 million in 2025, with gains in antenatal care and immunisation.

He cited maternal and newborn mortality reduction initiative (MAMII) covering 172 LGAs in 33 states, linking 773,200 pregnant women to PHCs and recording over 200,000 deliveries by skilled attendants between January and August 2026 — a 17 per cent increase year-on-year.

He also listed food bank programme with First Lady, where 23 LGAs delivered 9,500 food packages to 2,488 beneficiaries, and immunisation gains: 18.3 million girls vaccinated against HPV, 102 million children reached with measles-rubella vaccine, and 882,000 children in Kebbi, Bayelsa, Ondo and Bauchi receiving malaria vaccine.

On diphtheria outbreak, he said that 93 per cent of cases were among unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children.

He listed some of the states with high prevalent rate of diphtheria to include; Sokoto, Kaduna, Katsina, and Yobe.

n his part, Ohiri said NHIA coverage has increased by 42 per cent from 16 million in January 2024 to 23.02 million, including 3.18 million poor and vulnerable under Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).

He said free comprehensive emergency obstetric care is now available in over 270 accredited facilities, benefiting over 80,000 women, while 6,000 fistula surgeries and 6,000-7,000 neonatal interventions have been funded.

He also said MOC approved inclusion of prison inmates and integration of 60,000 people living with HIV/TB in five states under Global Fund partnership.

According to him, tariffs were reviewed after a decade — capitation doubled and fee-for-service increased by 373 per cent from April 1, 2025 — to rebuild trust, with 87 per cent of complaints resolved within 48 hours.

Both agencies said additional N40 billion approved under BHCPF will expand funding from 8,300 to 13,512 facilities.