Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Federal Government is reviewing the effectiveness of its health financing investments as high out-of-pocket medical expenses continue to place a heavy financial burden on Nigerian households.
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) disclosed this on Sunday ahead of the inaugural Nigeria Health Financing Research and Learning Forum, scheduled to begin in Abuja on Monday, September 28, 2026.
The authority said the Federal Government had released N235 billion through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) over the past three years, increasing the need to assess whether health investments were producing measurable results. “The Federal Government has also released N235bn through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund in the past three years, increasing the importance of ensuring that growing health investments deliver measurable results,” the NHIA said.
The authority added that health insurance enrolment had risen above 23 million, but said out-of-pocket spending remained high, leaving many families exposed to substantial medical bills.
The two-day forum will bring together policymakers, researchers, healthcare professionals and health financing experts from Nigeria and other countries to examine how limited health resources can be deployed more effectively.
The meeting will focus on the use of evidence to determine which treatments and services should receive funding, how healthcare providers should be paid and where available resources can have the greatest impact.
The forum is being organised against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s broader health reforms, coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The reforms include efforts to expand healthcare access, strengthen financial protection, improve patient outcomes and secure better value from health investments.
The forum, themed “Evidence and Learning for Nigeria’s Health Financing Future: Building a Locally Led Research and Learning Ecosystem,” will examine how research and health data can inform practical financing decisions.
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