Lagos, Anambra, Delta, 19 Others Set Pace in NHIS Compliance

Ebere Nwoji
Among the 36 states in Nigeria, Anambra, Delta and Lagos states have set the pace for others in their various levels of compliance with the federal government’s National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS)

The states have made significant progress in enrollment of people in the NHIS scheme while others are making little or no effort.

A total of 19 States have adopt the NHIS while others are at their various stages of implementing universal health coverage through establishment of their respective health insurance schemes
Insurance and health experts believe Health Insurance is one of the mechanisms for providing financial protection from the costs of using healthcare services, which is a key pillar of universal healthcare.

According to them, the protection it affords is extremely important as research from the World Bank and the World Health Organisation (WHO) showed that 100 million people are pushed into extreme poverty on an annual basis due to healthcare expenses.
While health insurance has been operational in Nigeria for over 15 years, the uptake has remained low.

Speaking at a virtual media training organised by Leadway Assurance for insurance journalists in Lagos recently, the headway Medical Services, Leadway Health, Dr. Temitope Falaiye, stated that Nigeria spends a relatively small proportion of national income, translating to about 4 per cent of Gross Domestic Product(GDP) on health against the agreed 15 per cent at the 2001 Abuja Declaration.
Stressing that Out-of-pocket expenditure on health is amongst the highest in the world put at 77.23 percent of total health expenditure and the highest in Africa, Falaiye, added that a voluntary National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS) exists in Nigeria but covers less than 5 percent of the population.

According to her, Nigeria’s informal economy, which accounts for more than 60 per cent of its total GDP is still largely uncovered.
“To bridge the coverage gap, several states have commenced the establishment of State Health Insurance Schemes. Presently, about 19 states are at various stages of their implementation journey. Anambra, Delta and Lagos state have particularly made significant progress in enrollment. Private Health insurance accounts for less than 3% of the Nigerian population, “she pointed out.

Also speaking , Mr. Gbolahan Oluyemi of the Leadway Capital & Trusts Ltd, while making presentation on Understanding Wills and Trusteeship, advised Nigerians on Estate planning which is the preparation and planning to manage an individual’s asset base after their demise or incapacitation.
According to him, “there are different modes of Estate Planning and they include, Trust, Inter vivos gifts and Wills.A Trusts is an arrangement whereby a person transfers an asset to a person (Trustee) to hold in trust for the benefit of a third party (Beneficiary). A Will is a legal document by which an adult expresses how he/she wants his/her assets/property to be distributed after his/her death.”


Earlier, Principal Investment & Strategy, Leadway Assurance, Joshua Ogbeifun, had charged journalists on the need to deepen insurance awareness and education through their write-ups, saying, though, insurance journalists have tried in this regards, but that they can improve on this to increase insurance adoption and penetration as well as insurance industry profitability.