The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has emphasised the importance of private sector collaboration in driving healthcare reforms in Nigeria. This call was made during a high-level policy dialogue held on Tuesday in Abuja, focused on sustainable health system reforms.
Themed “Private Sector Support for SWAp (sector-wide approach) in Healthcare,” the event highlighted the need for collective efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Director-general of NHIA, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri represented by the director of standards and quality assurance, Dr. Yakubu Agada-Amade stated that private sector involvement is critical to overcoming the challenges facing Nigeria’s healthcare sector. He highlighted that collaboration between public and private health actors is essential for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and delivering improved healthcare services across the country.
Organised by the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN)—a coalition of private sector stakeholders—the dialogue aimed to address the multifaceted issues plaguing Nigeria’s healthcare system. The discussions focused on incorporating international expertise and best practices to support the government’s healthcare reform agenda, with the goal of ensuring more productive collaborations.
Ohiri noted the significance of the “One Plan” under the SWAp framework, designed to unify health sector efforts and streamline resources, governance and healthcare access. He also stressed the need to address long-standing barriers such as inadequate financing, weak governance structures, and bureaucratic bottlenecks, which have hindered the effective implementation of healthcare interventions.
“The dialogue explored innovative strategies, including digital health solutions and new financing mechanisms, to accelerate the implementation of the National Health Act and mandatory health insurance coverage. With health insurance enrollment growing by 14 per cent over the past year, NHIA is pushing for greater inclusivity, especially for the informal sector, through flexible payment systems and partnerships with telecommunications companies,” he said.
He called for stronger public-private partnerships to ensure universal access to quality healthcare and sustainable reforms under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
Panelists from the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP), Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria (HCPAN) and Health and Managed Care Association of Nigeria (HMCAN) echoed these views, underscoring the private sector’s crucial role in expanding insurance coverage and improving healthcare delivery in Nigeria. They reaffirmed NHIA’s leadership in driving reforms toward achieving UHC through the SWAp framework and overcoming barriers to healthcare implementation.
