The Federal Government has increased the National Health Insurance capitation fee from ₦750 to ₦1,450 per person to enhance healthcare access and quality, aiming to cover 44 million Nigerians by 2030. Health and Social Welfare Minister Muhammad Pate announced this on October 25, 2025, via X, aligning the move with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for universal health coverage.
In 2024, Nigeria added 2.4 million new health insurance enrollees, reaching 20 million insured citizens. The doubled capitation fee, alongside a 380% increase in fee-for-service rates, aims to equip providers for consistent, high-quality care. Since 2023, 120,000 health workers have been trained, 2,500 doctors, nurses, midwives, and community health workers recruited, and 4,000 personnel deployed to federal tertiary hospitals.
A new One Hour Referral Authorisation Code will expedite patient transfers from primary to specialist care. The National Health Insurance Authority will monitor facilities covertly to prevent treatment denials. Hospital visits surged from under 10 million in 2023 to over 46 million by mid-2025, reflecting progress in the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and NHIA reforms. Pate emphasized ongoing efforts to modernize infrastructure and ensure equitable, quality healthcare for all Nigerians.
