President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate implementation of mandatory health insurance across all Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in line with the National Health Insurance Act, 2022.
The President directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to issue a service-wide circular enforcing compliance. The directive, State House officials said, is designed to expand coverage, protect workers, and reduce out-of-pocket health spending.
Under the new rules, all MDAs are required to enrol their employees in the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) scheme, though they may provide supplementary private insurance if they wish.
The directive also makes it compulsory for entities bidding for public contracts to present a valid NHIA-issued Health Insurance Certificate as part of their eligibility documents. The certificate will serve as proof of compliance and a precondition for continuing procurement-related processes.
In addition, MDAs must demand valid NHIA Health Insurance Certificates from applicants seeking the issuance or renewal of licenses, permits, and other official approvals. To strengthen monitoring, the NHIA will set up a digital verification platform to confirm the authenticity of certificates and enhance transparency.
All MDAs are further required to collaborate with the NHIA to establish internal mechanisms for verifying certificates and ensuring compliance.
While mandating enforcement across government institutions, President Tinubu urged closer engagement with the private sector to avoid placing undue burdens on businesses.
The National Health Insurance Act, signed into law in 2022, makes health insurance compulsory for Nigerians and tasks the NHIA with ensuring universal health coverage. Three years on, however, national enrolment remains low despite progress in the sector.
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