President Bola Tinubu has ordered all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government to fully implement mandatory health insurance for their employees.
The directive, announced in a statement by the presidency on Wednesday, follows provisions of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Act of 2022, which makes health insurance compulsory for all Nigerians.
Under the order, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) will issue a circular to all government offices to begin immediate compliance.
According to the directive, five major steps will be taken:
- All government workers must be enrolled in the NHIA health insurance plan. MDAs may also provide additional private insurance if they choose.
- Companies that want government contracts must present a valid NHIA Health Insurance Certificate to show compliance.
- Applicants for licenses, permits, or approvals from government offices will be required to present the same certificate.
- The NHIA will create a digital platform to make it easy to verify the authenticity of certificates.
- MDAs must set up internal checks with NHIA to confirm the certificates and monitor compliance.
President Tinubu also asked that private sector groups be consulted further, to ensure businesses are not burdened by the requirements.
The presidency said the directive is meant to expand health coverage, protect workers, reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses, and improve accountability in both government and private dealings.
The NHIA Act, signed into law in 2022, was meant to make health insurance compulsory for all Nigerians. However, three years later, the number of citizens covered by health insurance remains very low despite efforts by the government.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, signed the statement.
