The president of the Alliance on COVID-19 and beyond (ASCAB), FEMI Falana, San, has asked all government levels to provide appropriate funds for the health insurance of vulnerable Nigerians, after the application of the Law of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) of 2022.
Speaking through a statement issued on Sunday, Falana described the law of NHIA as a historical reform aimed at guaranteeing universal health coverage for each Nigerian and legal resident.
However, he warned that without adequate financing and complete implementation, the objective of affordable and accessible medical care for all would remain difficult to achieve.
The Law of the NHIA, signed by the Federal Government in 2022, had repealed the National Health Insurance Law (NHIS) of 2004, which failed to achieve significant population coverage or unify the country’s fragmented health insurance system.
According to Falana, the new law represented an important legal and policy change by making health insurance mandatory for all Nigerians.
“It also establishes a minimum basic attention package that should be provided to all citizens, as well as a vulnerable group fund to subsidize the attention of children under five, pregnant women, elderly, people with disabilities and poor.
“The law of the NHIA has created a regulatory and institutional framework to promote, supervise and regulate public and private health insurance plans in Nigeria.
“It is designed to ensure that it does not stay behind in the Nigerian to access quality medical care,” said Falana.
In an attempt to expand coverage, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on September 3, 2025, issued a directive that requires all ministries, departments and agencies (MDA) to register his employees in the NHIA scheme.
The Directive also required that entities that participate in public procurement present a health insurance certificate issued by NHIA.
Meanwhile, the secretary of the Government of the Federation has had the task of enforcing the order and monitoring compliance, a measure that could significantly increase the registration of health insurance throughout the country.
In addition, the Law of the NHIA ordered the 36 state governments and the federal capital territory to establish state health insurance plans to ensure that residents have access to the minimum basic care package.
In addition, states without such schemes can involve third -party administrators until they are completely operational.
Falana emphasized that these provisions are aligned with section 17 (3) (d) of the Nigeria Constitution, which allows the government to provide adequate medical and health facilities for all citizens.
He also cited article 16 of the African Charter on the rights of humans and peoples, which guarantees all the right to the highest level of physical and mental health.
“The majority of Nigerians today are within the vulnerable category.
“Therefore, federal, state and local governments must achieve their constitutional and legal duty to finance health insurance for all citizens,” said Falana.
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