President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate enforcement of mandatory health insurance for all employees of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), in line with the National Health Insurance Act, 2022.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the directive requires MDAs to enroll their staff in the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) scheme. Agencies may, however, subscribe to supplementary private insurance where necessary.
The new policy also makes valid NHIA Health Insurance Certificates compulsory for companies bidding for government contracts, as well as for individuals and organizations applying for licenses, permits, or approvals from MDAs.
To ensure transparency, the NHIA will roll out a digital verification platform for real-time authentication of health insurance certificates. In addition, MDAs are mandated to establish internal monitoring systems to confirm the validity of submitted certificates.
Tinubu, while stressing the importance of wider health coverage and reduced out-of-pocket expenses for Nigerians, urged continuous engagement with the private sector to prevent businesses from being unduly burdened by the regulations.
Onanuga outlined five key elements of the directive:
- Mandatory enrollment of MDA employees in the NHIA scheme.
- Optional supplementary private coverage in line with the Act.
- Compulsory NHIA certificates for public procurement eligibility.
- Precondition of valid NHIA certificates for licenses, permits, and approvals.
- Verification and monitoring procedures by MDAs in partnership with NHIA.
The presidency noted that the measure aims to expand health insurance coverage, strengthen accountability, and promote public-private cooperation in healthcare delivery.
Despite the passage of the NHIA Act three years ago, health insurance penetration in Nigeria remains very low, underscoring the urgency of the president’s directive.
