An independent systems review has scored the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) 73 per cent performance, rated as an “A.”
This is as the Director-General of the NHIA, Dr. Kelechi Oheri, pledged to deepen institutional reforms and improve access to quality healthcare
While reacting to the findings of the assessment conducted by the <PRIVATE_PERSON> (IPC), Oheri described the outcome as an important validation of the agency’s ongoing reform agenda under the Renewed Hope health sector reforms.
According to Oheri, the review offered an objective assessment of the Authority’s internal operations and stakeholder engagement, providing an external perspective that would help strengthen accountability and improve service delivery.
He explained that unlike internal assessments, the systems review examined the NHIA from a 360-degree perspective, evaluating both its internal processes and feedback from external stakeholders.
“The importance of this review is that it takes things from being implicit to explicit. We may believe we are doing our best, but it is different when an independent body tells you how you are actually performing,” he said.
Oheri described the 73 per cent rating as a reflection of the hard work and dedication of NHIA staff over the past two and a half years, noting that the Authority had been pursuing extensive institutional reforms alongside efforts to expand health insurance coverage.
He attributed the progress to the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, whose policy direction has prioritised universal health coverage.
The NHIA boss, however, stressed that the performance rating should not breed complacency, insisting that significant work remained to ensure Nigerians enjoy timely and equitable access to healthcare services.
“Seventy-three per cent is good, but it does not mean we should rest. We still have challenges, and we must ensure that these reforms translate into better access to healthcare for the average Nigerian,” he said.
He added that while the agency was encouraged by the positive recognition, it was equally challenged by the gaps identified in the review.
“We hold ourselves accountable internally, but external accountability acts like a mirror. It shows you things you may not see yourself. This assessment tells us we are doing well, but also that there is much more to be done,” Oheri stated.
Addressing concerns about unresolved gaps in the health insurance system, the Director-General acknowledged that no institution could claim to have completed its work, stressing that the NHIA remained committed to continuous improvement.
“Our work is not finished. If it were finished, there would be no need for the agency. The goal is to ensure that complaints from enrollees, especially regarding delays in accessing healthcare services, are addressed promptly,” he said.
To improve responsiveness, Oheri disclosed that the Authority had deployed 22 staff members across hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), rather than keeping them within office locations.
He explained that the officers were stationed directly at healthcare facilities to identify challenges as they arise and ensure swift intervention for patients and healthcare providers.
“They are not reporting to the office. They are stationed in hospitals to make sure issues are identified immediately and addressed. While it is impossible to have a system without challenges, what matters is having mechanisms in place to resolve them quickly,” he noted.
The NHIA chief also highlighted major improvements in the agency’s financial management systems, describing them as part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability.
According to him, the Authority has transitioned from largely manual financial record-keeping to a fully digitised system capable of generating financial statements at any time.
He further revealed that longstanding audit backlogs inherited by the agency had been cleared, enabling the NHIA to maintain up-to-date financial records and improve public accountability.
“Historically, many of our financial systems were manual. Today, they are digitised, and we can generate financial statements whenever required. We also inherited audit backlogs, but those have been cleared, giving us stronger financial accountability and transparency in the management of public resources,” he said.
Oheri concluded by emphasising that improving Nigeria’s healthcare system would require sustained collaboration among government institutions, healthcare providers and other stakeholders, adding that the NHIA remained committed to strengthening its systems in pursuit of universal health coverage.
