Healthcare leaders, policymakers, pharmacists and industry stakeholders have raised fresh concerns over Nigeria’s poor health insurance coverage, warning that millions of citizens remain one illness away from financial ruin because they still pay for healthcare directly from their pockets.
The stakeholders made the call during the 2026 Public Lecture and Mid-Year Meeting of the Board of Fellows of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (BOF-PSN), held at the Marriott Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, where they urged governments, employers, professional bodies and private organisations to accelerate health insurance enrolment, particularly among Nigerians in the informal sector.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Board of Fellows, Pharm. Uchenna Uzoma Apakama, lamented that only between five and eight per cent of Nigerians currently enjoy health insurance coverage, leaving traders, artisans, transport workers, market women and millions of other citizens exposed to catastrophic medical expenses.
According to him, the country's low insurance penetration has continued to fuel poverty, as families are forced to finance healthcare from personal savings whenever illness strikes.
He stressed that affordable and comprehensive health insurance must no longer be regarded as a privilege but as a fundamental pillar of national development and social protection.
The lecture, themed “Insurance-Based Healthcare Financing: Key to Achieving Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria,” brought together healthcare professionals, regulators, HMOs, financial institutions, government agencies, pharmaceutical leaders and policymakers to chart practical pathways towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Stakeholders expressed concern that despite Nigeria's health insurance journey beginning more than two decades ago, the country's Universal Health Coverage index has remained at about 40—far below global standards—while over 70 per cent of healthcare spending still comes directly from patients' pockets.
Apakama urged members of the National Assembly to dedicate part of their constituency intervention funds to sponsoring health insurance premiums for vulnerable Nigerians.
He also appealed to labour unions, professional associations, market organisations, transport unions and community groups to embrace group health insurance enrolment as a sustainable means of expanding coverage across the country.
According to him, associations such as the National Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP) have already demonstrated that collective enrolment can successfully improve access to quality healthcare.
The BOF Chairman further challenged philanthropists, charitable foundations and corporate organisations to include health insurance sponsorship in their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, insisting that protecting citizens' health should become a national responsibility shared by both government and the private sector.
Former Minister of Health, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, who chaired the occasion, delivered a passionate appeal for Nigerians to begin placing the same value on their health as they do on their material possessions.
He questioned why many people willingly insure their cars, houses and valuable assets but neglect health insurance until serious illness leaves them financially devastated.
Adelusi-Adeluyi observed that while countries such as Germany successfully institutionalised health insurance centuries ago, Nigeria continues to struggle because implementation has consistently lagged behind policy formulation.
He urged pharmacists to champion health insurance advocacy nationwide, describing the profession as the backbone of Nigeria's healthcare delivery system.
The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, reaffirmed the Society's commitment to supporting ongoing healthcare reforms and positioning pharmacists as critical drivers of insurance expansion at community level.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, NHIA representative Pharm. Femi Adeoye said healthcare financing remains central to Nigeria's health sector transformation.
He noted that Universal Health Coverage cannot be achieved without eliminating financial barriers that prevent citizens from accessing medical care.
According to him, the Federal Government's Renewed Hope Agenda is providing strategic direction for expanding health insurance while strengthening healthcare quality through improved provider accreditation, digital innovation and workforce development.
He added that the NHIA is deploying technology to simplify enrolment and improve access to healthcare services across the country.
Health financing experts at the lecture argued that expanding insurance coverage would require stronger partnerships between government and the private sector.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Hygeia HMO, John Iwuajoku, noted that more than 130 million Nigerians currently lack any form of health insurance.
He identified poor public awareness, inadequate government funding and weak healthcare infrastructure as major barriers to Universal Health Coverage.
Iwuajoku advocated the integration of existing national identity systems, including the National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN), into health insurance enrolment processes to improve planning, data management and nationwide coverage.
President of the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy, Prof. Lere Baale, called for the full integration of community pharmacists into Nigeria's health insurance architecture.
He described community pharmacies as the country's most accessible healthcare facilities and said they should become frontline providers within the national insurance system.
Baale also advocated stronger collaboration among healthcare professionals to improve medication management and enhance patient outcomes.
A major highlight of the event was the unveiling of Ultimate Health HMO's U-Health GIFSHIP (Group, Individual and Family Social Health Insurance Programme), a new insurance package specifically designed to extend affordable healthcare to workers in the informal sector.
Managing Director of Ultimate Health HMO, Dr. Lekan Ewenla, said the initiative was developed to close the healthcare access gap affecting traders, artisans, transport operators and small business owners who remain outside the formal insurance system.
He disclosed that although more than 11 million Nigerians currently benefit from the Federal Civil Service Health Insurance Programme, millions working in the informal economy remain uninsured despite the 2022 amendment to the National Health Insurance Authority Act, which made health insurance mandatory for all Nigerians.
"Our goal is not simply to sell health insurance but to make quality healthcare more affordable, more accessible and more equitable for every Nigerian," Ewenla said.
Head of Medical Services at Ultimate Health HMO, Dr. Chima Madu, explained that the package includes maternal and child healthcare, antenatal services, deliveries, neonatal care and cancer treatment support through NHIA-approved partnerships.
Representatives of several organisations, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), the Chartered Institute of Administration (CIA) and the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), pledged support for expanding health insurance coverage and strengthening healthcare financing.
They collectively agreed that achieving Universal Health Coverage would require coordinated action involving government, healthcare professionals, private organisations and communities.
The meeting concluded with stakeholders reaffirming their commitment to transforming Nigeria's healthcare financing system from heavy dependence on out-of-pocket payments to a sustainable insurance-driven model capable of protecting every Nigerian from financial hardship while guaranteeing access to quality healthcare.
