The Federal Government has announced an increase in the National Health Insurance capitation fee from ₦750 to ₦1,450 per person. The move is part of ongoing reforms to make healthcare more affordable and to extend insurance coverage to 44 million Nigerians by the year 2030.

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, revealed this in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday. He said the development aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the government’s efforts to achieve universal health coverage across the country.

According to Pate, Nigeria recorded over 2.4 million new health insurance enrollees in 2024, bringing the total number of insured citizens to about 20 million.

“In 2024, Nigeria achieved a record-breaking enrollment with more than 2.4 million new people insured, increasing total coverage to around 20 million Nigerians. With new policy measures underway, we are on track to reach 44 million by 2030,” he stated.

He explained that the revised capitation fee would help healthcare providers offer better and more consistent services, noting that fee-for-service rates have also been increased by 380 per cent based on actuarial assessments that link cost to service quality.

“A major barrier to quality care has been the low capitation rate for enrollees. For several years, it remained at ₦750 per person. We have now doubled it to ₦1,450 to ensure providers can deliver steady, high-quality healthcare,” the minister said.

Pate also highlighted other efforts to strengthen the health system, including the training of nearly 120,000 health workers since 2023 and the recruitment of 2,500 doctors, nurses, midwives, and community health extension workers to improve frontline services.

Additionally, he disclosed that 4,000 new health personnel have been deployed to federal tertiary hospitals to fill workforce shortages.

The minister further announced the introduction of a “One Hour Referral Authorisation Code,” aimed at ensuring quicker patient referrals between primary and specialist healthcare facilities to prevent unnecessary treatment delays.

“By reducing the referral process to one hour, we are ensuring patients get timely access to specialist care,” he said, adding that the National Health Insurance Authority has been directed to begin covert monitoring of health facilities to prevent denial of treatment to registered patients.

Pate noted that reforms in the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and the National Health Insurance Authority are producing measurable improvements, with hospital visits rising from less than 10 million in 2023 to more than 46 million by mid-2025.

He emphasized that these achievements reflect President Tinubu’s vision of a people-oriented health system that guarantees affordable and quality care for all Nigerians, regardless of social or economic status.

“We will continue to upgrade infrastructure, strengthen our workforce, and sustain these reforms until every Nigerian has access to quality healthcare,” Pate affirmed.