President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate enforcement of mandatory health insurance across all Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in line with the National Health Insurance Act, 2022.
The order, announced in a statement on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, instructs the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to issue a service-wide circular ensuring full compliance.
While stressing strict enforcement, the President also called for “closer and constructive engagement with the Private Sector” to prevent businesses from being unduly burdened.
The directive outlines five key compliance measures. All MDAs must enrol their employees under the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) plan, with the option of supplementary private coverage. In addition, firms participating in public procurement will now be required to present valid NHIA Health Insurance Certificates as part of their eligibility documents.
The same certificate will also be mandatory for applicants seeking to obtain or renew licences, permits, and other official approvals.
To strengthen transparency, Tinubu ordered the NHIA to create a digital verification platform for authenticating Health Insurance Certificates and curbing fraud. MDAs are to work with the NHIA to set up internal procedures for verifying submissions and monitoring compliance.
According to the statement, the policy aims to expand healthcare coverage, protect workers, reduce out-of-pocket spending, and promote accountability in both public and private sectors.
Despite the passage of the NHIA Act in 2022, national health insurance coverage remains “alarmingly low,” the Presidency noted, adding that decisive action was now necessary.
