NIGERIA: Health Insurance Enrolment Hits 22 Million, Says FG

By Ameenat Hamzat, Lagos, Nigeria

The federal government says health insurance enrolment in Nigeria has increased from 16 million to 22 million over the past three years, as ongoing reforms continue to improve access to healthcare across the country.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate disclosed this after co-chairing the 15th Expanded Ministerial Oversight Committee on the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund in Abuja.

According to the minister, “Health insurance enrolment [has increased] from 16 million to 22 million Nigerians over the past three years,” while “the country’s health system [is] now ranked 4th in Africa, behind only South Africa, Tunisia and Kenya.”

Prof. Pate also said that although the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund had disbursed ₦339 billion over its 12-year history, “₦235 billion, nearly 70 per cent of the total, has been released in just the last three years under the current administration,” underscoring President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening primary healthcare.

He noted that the investments had enabled over 8,000 Primary Healthcare Centres to receive direct facility financing, expanded emergency medical services nationwide, strengthened disease surveillance, and increased access to essential health services.

The minister further disclosed that “preliminary findings from the 2026 Mini Demographic and Health Survey (Mini-DHS) show encouraging improvements in antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, immunisation, child health and other key population health indicators.”

He added that more than 48,000 women had benefited from free comprehensive emergency obstetric care, while emergency medical services had provided life-saving care to over 130,000 Nigerians.

Prof. Pate reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to sustaining the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative through strategic investments, stronger accountability, and collaboration with states and development partners to expand access to quality and affordable healthcare for all Nigerians.