UHC: Nigeria’s Health Insurance Stagnates At 8% Coverage, BOF‑PSN Seeks Urgent Multi‑Sector Action

0

The Board of Fellows of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (BOF‑PSN) has issued a call for urgent, coordinated action across government, organised labour, professional associations and the private sector to accelerate enrolment in health insurance schemes.

The Fellows insist that only a multi‑pronged approach can reduce Nigeria’s crippling out‑of‑pocket healthcare spending and propel the nation towards the long‑delayed goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Speaking ahead of the Board’s 8th Annual Public Lecture and 2026 Mid‑Year Meeting, Pharm. Uchenna Apakama, Chairman of BOF‑PSN, lamented the slow progress of Nigeria’s health insurance programme more than two decades after its inception.

Apakama who was represented by Pharm. Ignatius Anukwu, Chairman of the Planning Committee, declared that the scheme, introduced under former President Olusegun Obasanjo with Dr Eyitayo Lambo as Minister of Health, has failed to deliver affordable healthcare to the majority of Nigerians.

Current figures show that only between five and eight percent of citizens are covered, leaving millions exposed to catastrophic medical bills, Anukwu explained.

He also urged members of the House of Representatives to dedicate part of their constituency intervention funds to sponsoring health insurance premiums for vulnerable groups.

The Chairman, Planning Committee, BOF‑PSN 8th Annual Public Lecture and 2026 Mid‑Year Meeting argued that targeted enrolment of children, women of reproductive age and the elderly would provide immediate relief to those most at risk.

“Each member of the House may not be able to enrol everyone in their constituency, but they can start with specific vulnerable groups. If every lawmaker enrols about 10,000 people, it will significantly increase the number of Nigerians covered by health insurance,” he said.

The Board of Fellows of PSN also appealed to organised groups in both the formal and informal sectors to take responsibility for their members’ welfare. Associations such as the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), market women’s associations, plumbers, hairdressers and other trade unions were urged to embrace group enrolment.

Anukwu noted that professional bodies like the National Association of Industrial Pharmacists already provide coverage for members requiring health insurance. He insisted that if more organisations adopted similar initiatives, Nigeria would record substantial progress. “Health insurance should not be left to government alone. Associations can drive awareness and increase enrolment,” Anukwu emphasised.

The Chairman, Planning Committee, further appealed to philanthropists and charitable foundations to sponsor health insurance for vulnerable Nigerians as part of corporate social responsibility and social investment programmes.

Such interventions, Anukwu argued, would rapidly expand coverage while easing the financial hardship imposed by out‑of‑pocket payments.

During the press  briefing, Pharm. Emmanuel Chukwuemeka, Managing Director of Nemitt Pharma Ltd, reinforced the call, stressing that governments at both federal and state levels must lead the charge, supported by employers in both public and private sectors.

He said the forthcoming public lecture would provide a platform for stakeholders to interrogate the obstacles hindering health insurance growth and to craft practical recommendations for policymakers.

“The goal is to examine the challenges affecting health insurance enrolment, stimulate robust discussions and produce a communiqué containing actionable recommendations for governments and other stakeholders. We also hope to develop proposals that will encourage state governments and community‑based organisations to enrol more citizens,” Chukwuemeka stated.

The eighth Annual Public Lecture and 2026 Mid‑Year Meeting of the BOF‑PSN, themed “Insurance‑Based Healthcare Financing: Key to Achieving Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria”, will take place on 15–16 July at the Marriott Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

The event is expected to convene policymakers, healthcare professionals, health economists and other stakeholders to deliberate on sustainable healthcare financing and strategies for achieving UHC.

The BOF-PSN argued that Nigeria cannot afford to continue with a health insurance scheme that covers less than one in ten citizens. Without decisive intervention from lawmakers, professional associations and philanthropists, millions will remain trapped in a cycle of poverty and ill‑health.

The Board insisted that the time for piecemeal efforts has passed. What is required now is a national mobilisation—one that harnesses the collective strength of government, organised labour, trade unions and civil society to ensure that every Nigerian has access to affordable, quality healthcare.