The North-East Zonal Office of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has rolled out an ambitious roadmap to accelerate access to affordable healthcare, signaling renewed momentum toward achieving universal health coverage across the region.
This follows a high-level peer review meeting held in Maiduguri, where key health insurance managers and policymakers converged to assess progress, confront persistent challenges, and chart a stronger path forward for the sector.
The strategic gathering drew State Coordinators from Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe states, alongside heads of departments, with a total of 45 participants engaging in intensive deliberations focused on improving service delivery and expanding health insurance coverage.
Presiding over the session, the Zonal Director, Dr. Sikiru Salahuddeen, emphasized the urgency of strengthening collaboration and accountability across all levels of implementation.
He described the meeting as “a critical platform for honest appraisal, peer learning, and collective problem-solving,” adding that sustained commitment from stakeholders remains key to unlocking broader healthcare access.
In his opening remarks, the Borno State Coordinator, Ezekiel Danjuma, highlighted the importance of unity and shared responsibility. He noted that the forum provided a valuable opportunity for reflection and constructive engagement, urging participants to redouble efforts toward delivering efficient and inclusive health insurance services.
Strategies to Boost Enrolment
Deliberations during the technical sessions revealed encouraging progress recorded between January and December 2025, as well as the first quarter of 2026. Across the zone, state offices reported improved internally generated revenue, rising enrolment figures, and intensified public awareness campaigns.
Participants also cited expanded coverage under key programmes such as GIFSHIP, the Formal Sector Scheme, CEmONC, the Free Fistula Programme, and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). These initiatives have collectively contributed to bringing more vulnerable populations into the health insurance net.
Equally notable were the outcomes of quality assurance exercises conducted in 2025, which showed that a majority of healthcare facilities met acceptable standards following accreditation, reaccreditation, and regulatory compliance assessments—an indication of improving service quality within the system.
Pushing for Wider Coverage
Despite these gains, stakeholders acknowledged the need to significantly scale up enrolment to meet growing healthcare demands in the region. To this end, the meeting proposed a multi-pronged strategy centered on aggressive advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and institutional collaboration.
Participants emphasized the importance of strengthening partnerships with legislators, development partners, and philanthropists to support programmes such as GIFSHIP, while also calling for expanded media campaigns to boost public awareness.
State offices were further urged to ensure that private healthcare providers enroll their workforce in health insurance schemes, while targeted outreach to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) was identified as a key avenue for increasing enrolment.
Strengthening Systems for Efficiency
As part of the resolutions adopted, the meeting stressed the need to modernize operational systems to enhance efficiency. This includes improving data management processes, strengthening coordination among stakeholders, and ensuring seamless communication between national, zonal, and state structures.
Participants also highlighted the importance of building resilience in the face of security challenges affecting parts of the North-East. They called for closer collaboration with security agencies and the adoption of flexible operational strategies to ensure continuity of services in high-risk areas.
Renewed Commitment to Universal Health Coverage
In a decisive move to drive accountability, all six State Coordinators signed an enrolment target compact, committing their respective states to measurable improvements in health insurance coverage.
The meeting also unanimously adopted a unified Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to streamline operations and ensure consistency in programme implementation across the zone.
