LAGOS/Nigeria: The Nigerian Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF) has unveiled plans to prioritise the expansion of health insurance enrolment among informal sector workers as part of its 2026 strategic initiatives aimed at improving healthcare coverage across the country.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NSSF, Dr. Fejiro Chinye-Nwoko, disclosed this while speaking with journalists on Sunday in Lagos, noting that the initiative seeks to bring millions of Nigerians currently outside the formal health insurance system into the coverage net.
Chinye-Nwoko observed that despite ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s health financing system, health insurance coverage remains significantly low, particularly among workers in the informal economy.
According to her, many informal sector workers remain uninsured due to factors such as affordability challenges, low awareness of insurance benefits, irregular income patterns and limited access to reliable information.
She revealed that fewer than 10 per cent of Nigerians are currently enrolled in any form of health insurance, leaving the majority of citizens dependent on out-of-pocket spending to access healthcare services.
To bridge this gap, the NSSF chief said the organisation’s 2026 programmes would focus on community engagement, awareness campaigns and youth-driven advocacy initiatives aimed at promoting the importance of health insurance.
She explained that through its WeNaija platform, the fund has mobilised young Nigerians to spearhead grassroots advocacy and community health engagement efforts across different parts of the country.
Chinye-Nwoko disclosed that youth-led interventions under the platform recorded measurable impact in 2025, including the facilitation of one-year free health insurance coverage for sickle cell patients in Osun State.
She added that NSSF intends to deepen youth participation in order to build greater awareness and public trust around health insurance, particularly within informal sector communities.
The NSSF boss also acknowledged the contributions of partners such as EY, Access Bank, MTN, Coronation, Oando and First Pension Custodian in advancing health equity initiatives in Nigeria.
She further revealed that the organisation would undertake targeted research in 2026 to better understand the barriers preventing informal sector workers from enrolling in health insurance schemes.
According to her, findings from the research will help shape policy discussions, generate practical recommendations and guide pilot initiatives aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s health insurance framework.
“Our focus this year is clear. Expanding health insurance coverage within the informal sector is critical to improving financial protection and health security for millions of Nigerians,” Chinye-Nwoko said.
She stressed that combining youth advocacy, community engagement and evidence-based research would help drive more inclusive and sustainable health insurance coverage nationwide.
Chinye-Nwoko also called on policymakers, development partners, youth networks and community leaders to collaborate with NSSF in expanding access to health insurance and improving healthcare security for Nigerians.
