President Bola Tinubu has directed that health insurance be made compulsory across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), in line with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act of 2022.
The order was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. According to the statement, the President instructed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to release a circular mandating full compliance.
The directive, which covers five major provisions, includes the compulsory enrolment of all government employees in the NHIA health insurance scheme. Agencies are, however, allowed to adopt additional private insurance coverage if needed.
“All entities participating in public procurement must present a valid NHIA-issued Health Insurance Certificate as part of their eligibility documentation. This certificate confirms compliance with the mandatory health insurance requirement and serves as a condition precedent for continuing any procurement-related engagement,” the statement read.
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The circular also requires MDAs to demand NHIA Health Insurance Certificates from applicants as a precondition for issuing or renewing licences, permits, and other official authorisations.
To ensure accountability, the NHIA has been directed to build a digital platform for real-time verification of certificates, while MDAs must establish internal monitoring systems to enforce compliance.
According to the presidency, “The presidential directive aims to expand health coverage, safeguard workers, reduce out-of-pocket health expenditures and promote accountability in public and private sector engagements.”
The statement further noted that although the NHIA Act of 2022 makes health insurance compulsory for Nigerians, actual coverage levels remain low three years after its enactment, despite some progress in the health sector.
