The Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA) has reviewed its enrolment performance and unveiled a 2026 expansion strategy aimed at accelerating progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC), with renewed emphasis on the informal sector.
Director-General of KADCHMA, Malam Abubakar Hassan, disclosed the new roadmap during a two-day quarterly review meeting on the Informal Sector Enrolment Campaign held in Zaria on Friday.
According to Hassan, the session assessed the authority’s 2025 performance, examined enrolment data trends, and developed a practical framework for broadening health insurance coverage across Kaduna State.
Coverage Rises but Gaps Persist
Hassan revealed that health insurance coverage in the state increased from 4.5 per cent in 2023 to 9.6 per cent in 2025, describing the growth as significant but insufficient to meet universal coverage targets.
“Although the growth is encouraging, it is still insufficient to achieve universal coverage. We must scale up faster and smarter,” he said.
He stressed that credible, verifiable data would form the backbone of the 2026 strategy, noting that strong institutions are built on reliable evidence.
“Our focus in 2026 is to move from awareness to conversion, from enrolment to retention, and from targets to measurable impact,” he added.
Informal Sector in Focus
Hassan described the informal sector as the “missing middle” in health financing, comprising artisans, traders, farmers, transport workers and other small-scale entrepreneurs who often lack structured health coverage.
He said KADCHMA would intensify engagement with market associations, transport unions, agricultural groups and community-based organisations to drive both new enrolments and renewals.
The authority also plans to leverage traditional and religious institutions to strengthen advocacy and community mobilisation efforts.
“We are starting with advocacy to the Zazzau Emirate Council, which covers 11 local governments, 35 districts and over 2,700 wards and village heads,” Hassan said, noting that the campaign would later extend to other emirates and faith-based organisations to reduce out-of-pocket health spending.
Traditional Institutions Back Initiative
Representing the Zazzau Emirate Council, Dr Mohammed-Bello Abdulkadir expressed support for the initiative, citing the critical role traditional institutions played in Nigeria’s successful polio eradication efforts.
“With over 2,700 wards and village heads across 11 local governments, the Emirate structure provides an effective channel to reach both formal and informal sector workers,” he said. “If the Emir calls the attention of ward and village heads to this initiative, you will see the results.”
Civil Society Raises Funding Concerns
Also speaking, Chairman of the Kaduna State Maternal Accountability Mechanism Initiative, Alhaji Garba Mohammed, commended KADCHMA for its 2025 achievements but urged sustained efforts to improve retention and expand informal sector enrolment.
He, however, noted that the state government’s three per cent counterpart funding for the scheme had not been regular.
“As a civil society organisation, addressing funding gaps will be one of our key advocacy priorities in 2026,” Mohammed said, adding that efforts were underway to remap the informal sector, with particular focus on market women, transport unions and agricultural associations.
The 2026 strategy signals Kaduna State’s renewed push to close coverage gaps and strengthen its path toward achieving Universal Health Coverage.
