The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Service Compact with All Nigerians (SERVICOM) to strengthen data management and improve service delivery in the country’s health insurance system.
Speaking on Tuesday, NHIA Director-General Dr Kelechi Ohiri said the agreements mark an important step in making the agency’s operations more based and responsive to the needs of citizens.
He said: “Today is a historic day for us because we have been able to sign MOUs that represent real commitments from the respective organizations. These are not just documents; they are concrete steps to improve data quality and service experience for Nigerians.”
Ohiri explained that partnering with NBS would help the NHIA ensure that its policies and programs are guided by accurate and inclusive data.
“People often ask how we measure the impact of what we do,” he said. “This partnership with the National Statistics Office ensures that we are measuring the right things, especially those that affect the poor and vulnerable. It also includes capacity building and research relevant to our Nigerian context.”
He said the collaboration reflects a shared goal of using reliable data to improve decision-making in the healthcare sector.
“This is a commitment by the statistician-general and I to work together to improve data quality to be able to answer simple but crucial questions: what is working well in Nigeria, and are we having a measurable impact on people’s lives?”
In the second MOU, Ohiri said the partnership with Serviceom aims to improve the service experience of over 20 million Nigerians covered by health insurance programmes.
“For us at NHIA, these are people whose experiences matter,” he said. “Partnering with Servicom, whose mandate is to improve service delivery, aligns with the President’s vision for universal health coverage. UHC is not just about access; it is about the quality of care people receive.”
He noted that the agreement, which coincides with customer service week, will strengthen feedback systems and complaint resolution mechanisms.
“When people come to a facility, if there are complaints, we want to hear them and, more importantly, we want to resolve them,” he explained. “We want members to know their rights and have clear channels of communication when they experience service failures.”
Ohiri revealed that the NHIA resolved about 90 percent of more than 2,000 member complaints last year.
“We encourage people to speak up when there is a problem,” he said. “The silence is what I call the silence of the cemetery: it gives a false impression that everything is fine when it is not. People must feel that they can be heard, and we must make sure that they are heard.”
He added that NHIA’s enforcement unit investigates complaints, applies sanctions when necessary and rewards facilities that perform well.
“Feedback shouldn’t just be about sanctions. It should also be about rewarding excellence,” he said. “We must encourage those who do well, while ensuring accountability for those who fall short.”
Ohiri said the Servicom Association will also focus on preventing service lapses through regular monitoring, staff training and improving empathy in healthcare delivery.
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“When people are sick, they are most vulnerable, that’s when they need empathy and support the most,” she said. “Working with Servicom, which has deep experience in improving public service, allows us to build capacity and improve the patient experience.”
He concluded that both Mous reflect a long-term commitment to better healthcare through collaboration and accountability.
“This is the government taking the bull by the horns,” Ohiri said. “It’s about using evidence, building capacity and strengthening accountability so that Nigerians receive the quality of care they deserve. Today is the beginning of a long journey, but one that will transform how health insurance works for every Nigerian.”
In his remarks, Servicom National Coordinator Anthony Oshie commended NHIA for initiating the collaboration and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to strengthening service delivery in the health sector.
“On behalf of Servicom management and staff, I want to sincerely thank NHIA for choosing to collaborate with us,” Oshie said. “We do not take this partnership for granted, and I can assure you that we will not let you down. We will always be there whenever our efforts are needed to strengthen service delivery in the healthcare sector.”
He described the signing as “a significant milestone” that will improve citizens’ access to quality healthcare and promote accountability in public institutions.
“The partnership we are entering into today will be long-lasting,” he said. “It will help us achieve greater heights in the pursuit of service excellence and ensure that Nigerians enjoy the quality of care they deserve.”
Oshie emphasized that the collaboration is based on shared values of transparency and responsiveness, and will promote a stronger feedback culture in healthcare facilities.
“We believe in continuous improvement,” he said. “Two weeks ago, we received a draft MOU from NHIA, and our teams worked closely to review and finalize it. Today, we are ready to move forward, not just on paper, but in action, to ensure that citizens can see and feel the difference in service delivery.”
He also highlighted the importance of citizen participation, saying: “We must ensure that the Nigerian citizen, the ultimate beneficiary, is at the heart of every system. When patients visit hospitals, they must know what services to expect and have channels to make their voices heard when things go wrong. That is where service comes in, to ensure that complaints lead to corrections and that quality becomes the standard service, not the exception.”
Oshie thanked NHIA for aligning the collaboration with Customer Service Week, calling it “an appropriate time to renew the national commitment to better service delivery.”
“It’s not just about signing a mou,” he added. “This is about building a partnership that will outlast us, one that will make healthcare more responsive, transparent and people-centered. Together with NHIA, we will make this vision a reality.”
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