Tinubu orders mandatory health insurance for all MDAs

President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate implementation of mandatory health insurance across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government in line with the National Health Insurance Act, 2022.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the president instructed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to circulate a service-wide memo compelling MDAs to comply with the directive.

The move, Tinubu said, is aimed at expanding health coverage, safeguarding workers, reducing out-of-pocket health spending, and promoting accountability in public and private engagements.

The directive requires all MDAs to enrol their employees in the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) scheme, with the option of adding supplementary private insurance plans where necessary.

It further mandates that any company or organisation participating in public procurement must present a valid NHIA-issued Health Insurance Certificate as part of eligibility documentation before contracts can be awarded.

In addition, MDAs are to demand valid Health Insurance Certificates as a precondition for issuing or renewing licenses, permits, and other official approvals.

To support this process, the NHIA is expected to develop a digital platform that will enable easy verification of certificates and strengthen compliance monitoring.

The president also directed MDAs to work with NHIA in creating internal procedures for authenticating submitted certificates to ensure transparency and prevent fraud.

While pushing for strict enforcement in the public sector, Tinubu also called for “closer and constructive engagement” with the private sector to guarantee that businesses are not unduly constrained by the law.

The National Health Insurance Act, signed into law in 2022, makes health insurance compulsory for all Nigerians and empowers NHIA to drive universal coverage.

However, nearly three years after its enactment, national coverage remains low, leaving millions of Nigerians without access to affordable healthcare.

The president’s order signals a renewed effort by his administration to strengthen the country’s health financing system and reduce the burden of healthcare costs on citizens.