The number of Nigerians covered by health insurance increased to 21.7 million in 2025, up from 19.2 million in 2024, representing about 13 per cent of the country’s population, according to the 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report.
The report, released by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, tracks progress in Nigeria’s health sector under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Sector-Wide Approach for coordinating health reforms and investments.
The report highlights government efforts to expand access to healthcare through mandatory health insurance and improved funding for services.
To reflect current economic realities, the government increased capitation payments by 93 per cent and fee-for-service payments by 378 per cent, aimed at improving the sustainability of healthcare delivery.
The Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) 2.0, launched in October 2025, enrolled about 2.7 million Nigerians by the end of the year.
In addition, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) signed agreements with more than 200 health facilities to improve access to Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC).
Through the programme, 19,270 women have received emergency maternal healthcare services, while 242 facilities have been accredited under the maternal health initiative.
In 2024, President Bola Tinubu directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to implement mandatory health insurance under the National Health Insurance Act (2022).
The policy requires government workers to enroll in NHIA-approved health plans and present a valid health insurance certificate for processes such as public procurement, licensing, and permits.
A digital platform is also being developed to verify insurance certificates and monitor compliance.
The report also highlighted progress in strengthening Nigeria’s health workforce. In 2025 alone, over 23,000 frontline health workers were trained, bringing the total number trained in the past two years to 78,146, about 65 per cent of the government’s target of 120,000 workers.
However, rising costs of medicines and medical supplies continue to strain the healthcare system. Inflation and higher import costs have pushed hospitals to increase service charges, while health insurance premiums rose between 8 per cent and 59 per cent between 2024 and 2025.
Analysts say continued reforms will be needed to ensure that expanding health insurance coverage translates into affordable and accessible healthcare for more Nigerians.
