Health
Nigeria’s Health Insurance Coverage Very Low at 5%—Expert
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
An Associate Director, Health Financing, Health Systems Consult Limited, Dr Oluwatosin Kolade, has described the 5 percent coverage of health insurance as very low when compared with its peers like Ghana and Rwanda.
Mr Kolade said this at the breakfast meeting organised recently by Lifeworth HMO for various healthcare providers within the industry.
While delivering a paper on Health Insurance: Improving Service Delivery to the Enrollees, the medical expert shared the experience of Nigeria’s health insurance industry with what is obtainable in other African countries like Ghana, Rwanda amongst others.
He noted that while Nigeria was the first country to start health insurance amongst the three countries, Nigeria has only been able to achieve fewer than 5 percent coverage of its population as compared to Ghana and Rwanda’s health insurance cover of about 50 percent and over 90 percent of their populations respectively.
Focusing on the healthcare systems, Mr Kolade noted that the number of medical colleges in the country, estimated at 30 colleges as compared to 300 colleges in India, is abysmally low, thus making the number of the doctors available to cater for Nigerians to be very limited.
Compounding the shortage of trained medical doctors is also the mass exodus of medical practitioners currently been experienced at an alarming rate.
Concluding his lecture, he highlighted the insignificant budgetary allocation to the health sector in general and the poor regulatory framework of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in particular.
Keynote speaker at the event, the Past President of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), Dr Anthony Omolola, charged healthcare practitioners to digitize their practice as well as improve on their financial acumen.
On the part of the HMOs, he emphasized on the need for seamlessly generation of authorization codes for providers on behalf of their enrollees in order to ensure speedy care.
During his speech, the Chief Executive Officer of Lifeworth HMO, Dr Raymond Osho, noted that the health insurance in Nigeria is at its infancy, however, the journey that has started must be periodically evaluated through discourses on how well to improve healthcare delivery.
According to him, “Affordable healthcare must deliver on its mandate which include accessibility, responsiveness and quality. This will in turn give the enrollees the best of services from the HMO which is delivered by the healthcare providers. This is the way through which the enrollees can trust the system, as a whole.”
There was also a panel session which consisted of Kunbi Adekeye, Head, People Outsourcing, ICS Outsourcing Limited; Dr Atinuke Nwjeh, CEO, Paediatric Partners Hospital; Dr Mohammed Isa, MD, Our Friend Hospital; Dr Tosin Kolade, Associate Director, Health Systems Consult Limited and Dr Raymond Osho, CEO, Lifeworth HMO.
Some of the main points from the session included the need to improve budget allocation to the healthcare sector at a minimum of 15 percent of national annual budget, in conformity with the Abuja declaration of 2001; the need to improve regulatory framework of the NHIS; the need to rapidly grow the health insurance coverage nationwide; the need for healthcare practitioners to improve their service delivery to enrollees; the need for HMOs to charge more realistic premiums from their clients and the need to educate enrollees in order to manage their expectations of the scheme.
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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