NHIS ACT, now NHIA ACT

AN ACT TO REPEAL THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME ACT, CAP. N42, LAWS OF THE FEDERATION OF NIGERIA, 2004, AND ENACT THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE AUTHORITY ACT, 2022 TO PROVIDE FOR THE PROMOTION, REGULATION AND INTEGRATION OF HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEMES IN NIGERIA ; AND FOR RELATED MATTERS
[19th Day of May, 2022]

Mission

To mobilize and pool financial resources for strategic purchasing of affordable and quality health care for all Nigerians

Vision

A leading agency committed to achieving financial access to quality health care for all Nigerians

Mandate

to attain Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nigeria by 2030

History Overview

National Health Insurance Scheme is a body set up by Decree 35, of 1999 (now Act 35) operating as Public Private Partnership and directed at providing accessible, affordable and qualitative healthcare for all Nigerians.

1. The Scheme shall be responsible for issuing appropriate guidelines to

maintain the viability of the Scheme [section 6(b)]

2. The Scheme shall be responsible for advising on the continuous improvement

of quality of services provided under the Scheme through guidelines issued by the Standard Committee established under section 45 of this Act [section 6(g)]

3. The council shall have the power to set guidelines for effective co-operation with other organizations to promote the objectives of the Scheme [section 7(f)]

On May 24th, 2022, it was officially gazetted by the Federal Government of Nigeria as the National Health Insurance Authority(NHIA)

on the 19th of May, 2022 The NHIA ACT was ENACTED by the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria—

PART I—ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE AUTHORITY

1. There is established the National Health Insurance Authority (in this Act referred to as “the Authority”).

(2) The Authority—

(a) shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and an official

seal ;

(b) may sue and be sued in its corporate name ;

(c) may, for the performance of its functions under this Act acquire,

hold, or dispose of any moveable and immovable property ; and

(d) may enter into contract or any other transaction in pursuance of its

powers and functions under this Act.

2. The objects of the Authority are to—

(a) promote, regulate and integrate health insurance schemes ;

(b) improve and harness private sector participation in the provision of

health care services ; and

(c) do such other things that will assist the authority in achieving Universal

Health Coverage to all Nigerians.

3. The Authority shall—

(a) promote, integrate and regulate all health insurance schemes that

operate in Nigeria ;

(b) ensure that health insurance is mandatory for every Nigerian and

legal resident ;

(c) enforce the basic minimum package of health services for all Nigerians

across all health insurance schemes operating within the country, including Federal, States, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as well as private health insurance schemes ; and many other functions