The Federal Government has announced an increase in the National Health Insurance capitation fee from ₦750 to ₦1,450 per person as part of ongoing reforms to expand access to affordable healthcare and achieve coverage for 44 million Nigerians by 2030.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, disclosed this in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, noting that the adjustment aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and reflects progress toward achieving universal health coverage.
According to Pate, Nigeria achieved a record-breaking 2.4 million new health insurance enrollees in 2024, bringing the total number of insured Nigerians to approximately 20 million.
“In 2024, Nigeria broke its enrollment record with more than 2.4m new people insured, bringing total coverage to about 20m Nigerians. With new policy tools in motion, we are on course to reach 44m by 2030,” Pate stated.
He explained that the revised capitation fee will enable healthcare providers to deliver better and more consistent services, while the fee-for-service rates have been increased by 380 per cent based on actuarial evidence to ensure costs align with service quality.
“A major constraint in care quality has been the low capitation fee for enrollees. For years, the capitation stood at ₦750 per person. We have doubled it to ₦1,450 to ensure providers are properly equipped to deliver consistent, high-quality care,” the minister said.
Highlighting broader reforms in the health sector, Pate revealed that nearly 120,000 health workers have been trained since 2023, while 2,500 doctors, nurses, midwives, and community health extension workers have been recruited to strengthen frontline services.
He added that 4,000 additional healthcare professionals have been deployed to federal tertiary hospitals to address workforce shortages across the country.
The minister also announced the introduction of a One Hour Referral Authorisation Code, aimed at accelerating patient referrals from primary to specialist facilities and reducing treatment delays.
“By shortening this process to one hour, we are ensuring that patients move quickly from primary to specialist care,” he said, adding that the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) had been directed to carry out covert monitoring of health facilities to prevent denial of treatment to enrollees.
Pate noted that reforms within the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and the NHIA are already showing tangible results, with hospital visits increasing from fewer than 10 million in 2023 to over 46 million by mid-2025.
He said these milestones reflect President Tinubu’s commitment to building a people-centred health system that guarantees affordable, quality care for every Nigerian, regardless of income or social status.
“We will continue to modernise infrastructure, strengthen the workforce, and sustain reforms until every Nigerian is covered and cared for,” Pate affirmed.
