Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Federal Government has intensified efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through full enforcement of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act 2022, which mandates health insurance for all Nigerians.
At a sensitisation workshop in Abuja on Saturday, NHIA Director of the Formal Sector Department, Pharmacist Nuhu Ajodi, said the initiative marks “a new era of equitable healthcare access.”
“The Act makes health insurance mandatory for every Nigerian,” Ajodi said. “Coverage has now risen to over 21.1 million enrollees.”
He explained that the NHIA is collaborating with relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure compliance with the five percent contribution rule.
Ajodi outlined reforms anchored on expanding coverage, subsidising vulnerable populations, improving quality care, and enhancing efficiency through private sector participation.
Programmes such as the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and the Fistula Free Programme are already improving maternal and child health outcomes, he noted.
However, participants raised concerns about inefficiency and poor service at hospitals, urging sustained reforms and stronger enforcement.
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Koko Maxwella 
