Nigeria’s health insurance enrolment rose to 23.06 million people in the second quarter of 2026, from 16.2 million recorded in late 2023, representing a 42.35 per cent increase, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has disclosed.
The Director-General of the NHIA, Kelechi Ohiri, announced the figures on Thursday while delivering the keynote address at the 11th Future of Health Conference, organised by Nigeria Health Watch in Abuja.
He said the growth covered enrolment under federal, state and private health insurance schemes.
However, Ohiri cautioned that rising enrolment figures must translate into improved access to quality healthcare and meaningful financial protection for Nigerians.
He stressed that having an insurance card did not necessarily mean that an enrollee could obtain timely treatment or avoid substantial out-of-pocket medical expenses.
“An insurance card in a citizen’s pocket is meaningless if it does not grant immediate access to a functional facility, guarantee essential medicines, protect against catastrophic out-of-pocket expenses, and deliver dignity during medical emergencies,” he said.
Ohiri said the distinction between recorded insurance coverage and actual financial protection remained a major challenge in the country’s healthcare system.
NHIA introduces measures to improve accountability
To improve access to information and strengthen accountability, the authority has introduced initiatives designed to help enrollees understand their benefits, obtain support and hold healthcare providers responsible for service delivery.
According to the NHIA chief, the initiatives include the MyNHIA mobile application and an online self-enrolment portal.
The authority has also distributed enrollee charters and details of benefit packages through interactive QR codes displayed at accredited health facilities across the country.
The measures are intended to make it easier for insured Nigerians to understand their entitlements and seek assistance when healthcare providers fail to deliver expected services.
