Tinubu Orders MDAs to Enforce Mandatory Health Insurance

President Bola Tinubu has directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to begin the full implementation of mandatory health insurance as provided in the National Health Insurance Act, 2022.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday, the President ordered the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to circulate the directive across all MDAs.

The policy requires that every MDA enroll its employees in the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) health plan, with supplementary private insurance being added where necessary.

The President further instructed that entities seeking to participate in public procurement must provide valid NHIA-issued Health Insurance Certificates as part of the eligibility requirements. The same condition will apply for the issuance and renewal of licenses, permits, and other official approvals.

To promote transparency, the NHIA is expected to develop a digital verification platform for Health Insurance Certificates, while MDAs are mandated to create internal procedures for compliance monitoring.

While calling for strict enforcement, Tinubu also urged that the private sector be constructively engaged to avoid placing undue burdens on businesses.

The presidency noted that the directive is designed to expand health coverage, reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses, and strengthen accountability in both public and private sector engagements.

Enacted in 2022, the NHIA Act makes health insurance compulsory for Nigerians and tasks the authority with ensuring universal coverage. However, three years later, coverage remains “alarmingly low,” despite improvements in the healthcare sector.