CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
Healthcare leaders, policymakers, and pharmacists have sounded the alarm over Nigeria’s poor health insurance coverage, warning that millions of citizens are one illness away from financial ruin due to heavy out-of-pocket spending.
The call was made at 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.
With the theme “Insurance-Based Healthcare Financing: Key to Achieving Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria,” stakeholders urged government, employers, and professional bodies to fast-track health insurance enrolment, especially for Nigerians in the informal sector.
Chairman of BOF-PSN, Pharm. Uchenna Uzoma Apakama, said just between 5 and 8 per cent of Nigerians have health insurance. This leaves traders, artisans, transport workers, and market women exposed to catastrophic medical bills.
“Low insurance penetration continues to fuel poverty. Families are forced to drain their savings whenever illness strikes,” Apakama said.
He argued that affordable health insurance must be seen as a pillar of national development, not a privilege.
Data presented at the lecture showed that despite health insurance starting in Nigeria over 20 years ago, the country’s Universal Health Coverage index remains at about 40. Over 70 per cent of healthcare spending still comes directly from patients’ pockets.
Apakama urged members of the National Assembly to use part of their constituency funds to pay insurance premiums for vulnerable Nigerians.
He also called on labour unions, market associations, transport unions, and community groups to adopt group enrolment. He cited the National Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria, NAIP, as an example of how collective cover can work.
He further challenged philanthropists and corporate organizations to include health insurance in their CSR programs.
Former Minister of Health, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, who chaired the event, made a passionate appeal for Nigerians to prioritize health.
“People willingly insure their cars, houses, and gold, but neglect health insurance until a major illness leaves them broke,” he said.
He noted that countries like Germany institutionalized health insurance centuries ago, while Nigeria’s problem is poor implementation.
He also urged pharmacists to lead advocacy efforts, describing them as the backbone of healthcare delivery.
PSN President, Pharm. Ayuba Tanko Ibrahim, reaffirmed the Society’s commitment to healthcare reforms and to positioning pharmacists as drivers of insurance expansion at the community level.
Representing the Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, Pharm. Femi Adeoye said healthcare financing is central to sector transformation.
“Universal Health Coverage cannot happen until we remove financial barriers to care,” he said.
He added that the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda is focused on expanding coverage through better provider accreditation, digital innovation, and workforce development. The NHIA, he said, is also using technology to simplify enrolment.
Managing Director of Hygeia HMO, John Iwuajoku, said over 130 million Nigerians have no health insurance.
He blamed poor awareness, inadequate funding, and weak infrastructure.
Iwuajoku proposed linking NIN and BVN to insurance enrolment to improve data and planning.
President of the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy, Prof. Lere Baale, called for full integration of community pharmacists into the insurance system, describing pharmacies as the most accessible healthcare points in the country.
A highlight of the event was the launch of U-Health GIFSHIP by Ultimate Health HMO. The package targets group, individual, and family coverage for informal sector workers.
Managing Director, Dr. Lekan Ewenla, said the goal is to close the access gap for traders, artisans, and small business owners.
He noted that while over 11 million Nigerians benefit from the Federal Civil Service Health Insurance, millions in the informal economy remain uncovered despite the 2022 NHIA Act making insurance mandatory.
“Our goal is not just to sell insurance, but to make quality healthcare affordable, accessible, and equitable for every Nigerian,” Ewenla said.
Head of Medical Services, Dr. Chima Madu, said the package covers maternal and child health, antenatal, delivery, neonatal care, and cancer treatment support through NHIA-approved partners.
Representatives from NDLEA, NIESV, CIA, and PCN pledged support for expanding coverage.
The meeting ended with a resolution to move Nigeria’s healthcare financing from out-of-pocket payments to a sustainable insurance-driven model.