ABUJA, Nigeria — The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has taken steps to expand healthcare access for vulnerable Nigerians through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) and other targeted financing programmes, aiming to ensure that no citizen is left behind in the pursuit of universal health coverage
The NHIA has been implementing the BHCPF, established under the National Health Act of 2014, which allocates at least one percent of the Federal Government’s Consolidated Revenue Fund to strengthen primary healthcare delivery. The fund seeks to improve access to essential health services, particularly for reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health, as well as nutrition services.
Speaking at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, NHIA Director-General Dr. Kelechi Ohiri emphasised that Nigeria is expanding coverage to ensure that health insurance benefits are not limited to the wealthy. He noted that President Bola Tinubu has made health insurance mandatory, and the NHIA has introduced innovations targeting specific vulnerable groups.
“Given high maternal mortality rates in Nigeria, funds have been created such that every emergency obstetric care is free and is paid for. This has also been expanded to newborns across the country,” Dr. Ohiri explained. The NHIA has also introduced Health Technology Assessment to guide the design of benefit packages.
A recent assessment of BHCPF-funded primary healthcare facilities revealed that while significant funding has been disbursed—over $190 million—technical efficiency remains low, with the mean efficiency score at just 11 percent. Healthcare workers have identified challenges including insufficiently skilled professionals (85%), poor infrastructure (87.8%), and delays in releasing funds (60.7%).
Despite these challenges, the BHCPF has enabled at least 1,400 primary healthcare centres to provide professional birth attendance, and over 2,400 healthcare professionals have been hired to provide services. The fund has also improved the supply of necessary medications and medical supplies, equipping 110 PHC centres nationwide.
The NHIA has also partnered with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to improve service delivery and quality standards. Quality officers have undergone capacity-building programmes to strengthen accountability and improve healthcare standards across facilities.
The expansion of healthcare access through targeted financing programmes aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to achieving universal health coverage by 2030. However, experts have called for increased emphasis on efficiency, improved accountability mechanisms, and stronger community engagement to ensure that the BHCPF delivers better health outcomes for vulnerable Nigerians.
