Quest FM TV News – Report by Kalu Divine | Edited by Chris Odjomah
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the full enforcement of mandatory health insurance coverage for all employees across Nigeria’s public sector, in alignment with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act of 2022.
The order, which applies to Ministries, Departments, Extra-Ministerial Agencies (MDAs), and other government bodies, was announced on Wednesday through a statement released by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Under the NHIA Act, health insurance is compulsory for all Nigerians, with the Authority empowered to spearhead the nation’s push toward achieving universal health coverage. Tinubu’s directive marks a decisive move toward institutionalizing this mandate within the federal workforce.
According to Onanuga, President Tinubu has instructed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to disseminate the directive across all tiers of public service. The president also emphasized the importance of working closely with the private sector to avoid imposing unnecessary burdens on businesses as they comply with the law.
The new directive outlines five key areas of compliance. First, every MDA must immediately enroll its staff in the NHIA health insurance scheme. In addition, agencies are permitted to procure supplementary private health insurance for their employees if desired, in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
Another significant reform under the directive is the introduction of a mandatory NHIA-issued Health Insurance Certificate as a prerequisite for eligibility in public procurement. All organizations bidding for government contracts are now required to include this certificate among their application documents.
The move is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure, reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses for government workers, and promote equity in access to medical services across the country.
With this step, President Tinubu signals a renewed focus on health sector reforms and public sector accountability—two areas that have long posed challenges to Nigeria’s development agenda.