Experts Call for Mandatory Health Insurance in Nigeria

During a webinar organized by Synlab Nigeria, experts called on the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to make health insurance mandatory for Nigerians. Dr. Olumuyiwa Olusanya from Insignia Health emphasized the need for a health insurance scheme that includes preventive care benefits, as the current system focuses primarily on treatment rather than prevention.

He highlighted that the lack of preventive measures significantly increases healthcare costs and risks for Nigerians. Dr. Adeniyi Adeniran, a health finance expert, described Nigeria's healthcare financing structure as inadequate, particularly in revenue generation and service purchasing strategies.

The experts noted that less than 10% of Nigerians currently have formal health insurance, which leads to direct household spending on healthcare services. They urged policymakers to integrate preventive screening and diagnostic standards into health insurance packages to enhance overall healthcare financing and patient care in Nigeria.