Health
Confusion as NHIS’s N720b Disappear, Banks, Others Indicted
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Questions are already being asked over the disappearance of about N720 billion, which was ‘invested’ by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in 12 years with no concrete answer being provided.
According to The Nation, not even the NHIS boss, Professor Usman Yusuf, can provide an answer to this question on the lips of authorities, who want to know what happened to the huge amount of money meant for the betterment of Nigerians.
Prof Yusuf, The Nation said, revealed that the “investments” had no approvals of successive Ministers of Health, past boards of the NHIS and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF).
He said billions were lost to diversion and under-payment of interest.
Banks, former Executive Secretaries, select management staff and interest groups were all neck-deep in the scandal, Yusuf alleged.
According to the NHIS Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, there is no trace yet of the N720billion.
Yusuf opened the lid on the corrupt practices in NHIS in a power-point presentation to the agency’s Governing Council in response to a query by the board.
He said when he discovered the scandal, he engaged forensic accountants to get to the root of the matter.
The Nation had exclusively reported that a team raised by the Federal Government discovered that over N138billion of the NHIS cash was trapped in 17 banks, financial companies and individuals’ pockets from January 2011 to date.
In a memo to the Executive Secretary, the Chairman of the Governing Council of NHIS, Dr. Enyantu lfenne, asked him to “clear these concerns (trapped funds and Forensic Audit) and guide Council on the way forward.”
In his response to the query, the Executive Secretary said the rot in the NHIS was unimaginable.
He said: “Over N720billion of NHIS funds were “invested” over 12 years. No approvals from Minister, Board or Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF).
“There was no transparency. In the deals were the Chief Executive Officers, banks and other interest groups. Billions of Naira were lost to diversion and underpayment of interest.
“The Executive Secretaries and select management staff were all neck deep in this.”
The Executive Secretary gave insights into the rot he inherited in NHIS and the dispute over forensic audit of the finances/ investments of the agency.
He added: “When I resumed in August 1, 2016, I could not ascertain the state of the finances of the Scheme. My preliminary findings from the review of financial records were shocking to say the least.
“I was unable to ascertain how much of the Scheme’s funds was with commercial banks, for how long and at what rate of return.
“It was unclear to me how much of the Scheme’s money was still with commercial banks before TSA and how much was transferred to TSA.
“The audited accounts of the Scheme for years ended 31st December 2011 to 2016 were in arrears and had not been signed by the previous CEOs.
“In view of all these anomalies and to bring transparency in the finances of the Scheme on December 21st 2016, I engaged the services of professional accounting firm Messrs. Sofura Professional Services to carry out a forensic review of the Scheme’s accounting system and banking transactions.
“Their scope of work included reconciliation of all NHIS current and investment accounts held with commercial banks, reconciliation of NHIS TSA with the CBN.
“Upon their engagement, I called a meeting of NHIS Management made up of all heads of departments and introduced the firm and its partners and the work they have been engaged to do.
“After the meeting, the firm began its work reviewing documents and interacting with relevant staff. I was briefed regularly by the firm on the progress of the work.
“As part of the work, I wrote letters to commercial banks requesting and mandating them to give them all necessary cooperation relating to their engagement.
“Terms of their engagement were clearly spelt out in their letter of engagement; (I) An annual engagement fee of N2,300,000.00 per annum for retainership and;
“Reimbursable expenses and fees for each specific service undertaken for the Scheme as may be agreed upon by both parties from time to time will be paid on submission of evidence for payment to the Scheme at the end of each assignment.
“I am pleased to report that this is the first time in the 13-year history of the NHIS that a forensic audit has been undertaken in the operation of the Scheme including a review of the records of the Finance & Accounts, Contribution Management, Audit and Procurement Departments.
“Following my resumption from suspension on February 6, 2018, I became aware of the engagement of Aruna Bawa & Co. by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation to carry out an audit and recovery of NHIS funds held by financial institutions, Companies and individuals into the Federal Government’s treasury.
“The information on the basis of which Aruna Bawa & Co. sought to recover NHIS funds is a product of work that I, as the CEO of NHIS, commissioned by engaging Messrs Sofura Professional Services.
“It is noteworthy that Bawa the principal partner of Aruna Bawa & Co. worked for Sofura professional Services on this assignment.
“In the course of the work, I knew Mr Aruna Bawa as a member of the Sofura team.
NHIS has never had any contractual agreement with Mr Bawa or his firm.
“On March 5, 2018, I wrote a letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) asking him to cancel the engagement of Aruna Bawa and his firm as it was based on misrepresentation and that NHIS has no contractual agreement with him.
“I visited the NHIS Council Chairman at her home after inauguration of the board and told her about the issue and that I had written a letter to the AGF asking him to cancel Mr Bawa’s engagement.
“The Chairman suggested I should see the AGF and personally brief him which I promptly did.
“I have been receiving letters from banks asking me to confirm if Bawa is representing the Scheme.
“I have written to the AGF asking him to write to him and all the institutions he had introduced him.
”Messrs Sofura Professional Services is the only legitimate firm that the Scheme has a valid contract with and have been working since engagement.
“In fact, I authorized them to meet with the CBN team yesterday to explain their work at the request of the CBN team which they gave me an update on.
”Apparently, Bawa has been going to the Chairman’s house with bags of documents telling her that I and Messrs Sofura Professional Partners have ulterior motives in our quest to recover NHIS funds, hence the Chairman’s “query”.
The NHIS Executive Secretary also explained why he attended the 71st World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland from May 21 to 26.
He said the trip was not a jamboree as being insinuated in some quarters.
He said: “The World Health Assembly is an annual event by Ministers of Health from member nations.
“Nigeria’s delegation included the Minister of State for Health(HMSH) as the leader and heads of Agencies under the Federal Ministry of Health(FMoH).
“The theme of the Assembly this year was Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC). As a signatory to the Commitment to UHC, Nigeria’s delegation was ably represented by the NHIS which is the lead Agency in Nigeria’s drive to UHC.
“With the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to fund the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) for the first time since the passing of the National Health Act, the NHIS will receive N275bn to cover vulnerable Nigerians across all geopolitical zones.
“All our development partners are very excited for our government’s political will.
“The World Bank and Gates Foundation have already committed an initial $20m into the fund.
“NHIS delegation of only five was grossly inadequate considering the multiple presentations on UHC, Healthcare financing, Equity in Health care, Resource mobilization, aggregation of fragmented pools etc.”
The Governing Council of NHIS was yet to take action on the submissions of the Executive Secretary and response to its query as at the time of filing this report.
Source The Nation
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The decision of the management of SUNU Health Nigeria Limited to adopt the strategy of placing the enrollee and customer at the heart of its operations has started to pay off.
The company was recently announced as Most Customer-Focused Health Insurance Company of the Year at the Customer Service Standard Magazine Awards 2025.
The recognition underscored the company’s success in translating its dedication into tangible enrollee satisfaction and superior market service at the Nigerian Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) landscape.
It also highlights the organisation’s dedicated efforts in streamlining claims processing, enhancing access to quality healthcare providers, and maintaining transparent, responsive communication channels with its diverse client base across Nigeria.
The accolade further serves as a powerful testament to the successful integration of digital solutions and human-centric service models at SUNU Health.
It positions the firm as a leader not only in providing robust health plans but also in delivering the supportive, personalized care that enrollees truly value.
“Clinching the Most Customer-Focused Health Insurance Company of the Year award is not just an honour; it is a validation of the core philosophy that drives every member of the SUNU Health team.
“We believe that healthcare is fundamentally a service industry, and our success is measured by the well-being and satisfaction of our enrollees,” the chief executive of SUNU Health, Mr Patrick Korie, commented.
“This award reinforces our resolve to continuously innovate and set new benchmarks for customer experience in the Nigerian health insurance sector.
“Our commitment to providing accessible, high-quality, and seamless healthcare solutions remains our top priority as we move into the new year (2026),” he added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria has launched its first nationally representative survey on antimicrobial resistance to generate critical data to guide evidence-based policies, improve patient outcomes, and strengthen health system resilience.
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to resist treatment, making infections harder to cure.
As a result, surveillance is essential to track resistance patterns, identify priority pathogens, and guide targeted interventions and with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, the initiative marks a milestone in the country’s public health response.
Nigeria becomes the third country globally to partner with WHO on a national antimicrobial resistance survey. having been selected based on the country’s strong commitment to AMR surveillance, its updated WHO Nigeria NAP 2.0, and readiness to expand laboratory and data systems.
Africa’s most populous country ranks 20th globally for age-standardized mortality due to antimicrobial resistance . In 2019, an estimated 263,400 deaths in Nigeria were linked to it—more than the combined deaths from enteric infections, tuberculosis, respiratory infections, maternal and neonatal disorders, neglected tropical diseases, malaria, and cardiovascular diseases.
Globally, resistant infections in tertiary care settings cost between $2,371 and $29,289 per patient episode, extend hospital stays by an average of 7.4 days, and increase mortality risk by 84 per cent.
The survey will see the establishment of a national baseline on antimicrobial resistance prevalence to monitor interventions, assess the distribution, burden (morbidity, mortality, DALYs, cost), and diversity of AMR across regions and populations, as well as contribute to the global target of reducing AMR deaths by 10 per cent by 2030, in line with the political declaration endorsed at the 79th United Nations General Assembly in 2024.
It also seeks to strengthen routine antimicrobial resistance surveillance, including diagnostics, sample referral systems, and laboratory capacity.
Using WHO’s standardized methodology, the survey will run for 12–15 months and cover 40–45 randomly selected health facilities nationwide. Patients with suspected bloodstream infections (BSIs) will be identified using standard case definitions, and blood samples will be analysed in quality-assured laboratories.
Data will be collected across all age groups, covering clinical, demographic, laboratory, financial, and outcome indicators. Follow-up will occur at discharge, 28 days, and three months post-infection. The survey will sample approximately 35,000 patients suspected of BSIs to obtain around 800 isolates of the most common pathogens.
Dr Tochi Okwor, Acting Head, Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said, “With WHO’s support, we are confident the survey will generate the evidence needed to protect public health.”
WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr Pavel Ursu, reaffirmed WHO’s commitment stating that ,“Nigeria is taking a decisive step toward combating AMR with an approach grounded in data, science, and measurable impact. This survey will provide the clarity needed to drive smarter policies, stronger surveillance, and better patient outcomes. Nigeria is laying the foundations for a resilient health system, one that protects lives, strengthens trust, and ensures that essential medicines remain effective for future generations.”
Adding her input, Dr Laetitia Gahimbare, Technical Officer at WHO Regional Office for Africa, added:“Strengthening surveillance enhances Nigeria’s capacity to detect and respond to AMR threats, supporting better patient outcomes, reinforcing health security, and building a resilient system.”
Professor Babatunde Ogunbosi, Paediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist at University College Hospital, Ibadan, highlighted the broader impact:, “This survey is about more than data. It’s about building national capacity for research, diagnostics, and policy. It integrates science into public health decision-making.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
One of the leading Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) in Nigeria, SUNU Health, has said its philosophy is proactive wellness, noting that this was why it recently partnered with The Divine Physician and St. Luke Catholic Chaplaincy Centre for a community health initiative.
The chief executive of the company, Dr Patrick Korie, said, “SUNU Health’s vision extends far beyond merely offering health packages and insurance.”
“We are fundamentally interested in proactive wellness—preventing illness rather than just treating it. This annual exercise is a crucial part of that commitment, and we will continue to champion it for as long as we exist,” he stressed.
The medical practitioner led the company’s annual Health Walk in Lagos on Saturday, November 8, 2025. The event drew hundreds of health enthusiasts, including the Chaplain of the centre, Rev Fr. John Okoria SJ.
His active participation reinforced the spiritual and moral commitment to holistic well-being, proving crucial in mobilizing staff and community members, thereby ensuring the vital wellness message reached a broad and deeply engaged audience.
The health walk covered several major streets in Lagos, starting from Ishaga Road and navigating through Itire Road, Randle Avenue, Akerele, Ogunlana Drive, and Workers Street before concluding back at the starting point. Following the vigorous walk, participants engaged in a session of high-energy aerobics and other outdoor exercises, reinforcing the day’s focus on fitness.
“We are delighted to champion this vital health initiative alongside the Catholic Chaplaincy Centre LUTH/CMUL. The turnout was truly delightful, reflecting the community’s deep desire to embrace wellness.
“Collaborations like this amplify our message and commitment to the Nigerian community,” the Brand and Corporate Communications Lead at SUNU Health, Mr Samuel Olayemi, stated.
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