Forum pledges collaboration to achieve Universal Health Coverage

By Mustapha Mustapha On Apr 10, 2026

Universal Health Coverage, Health Insurance Agencies, Polio, forum of Chief Executive officers,NIMC, — Forum pledges collaboration to achieve Universal Health Coverage

Health Insurance Agencies in Nigeria have been charged to work together as a unit because that is the only way the country can achieve the Universal Health Coverage target (UHC).

The Immediate past Chairman of the forum of Chief Executive officers (CEO’s) of States Social Health Insurance Agencies (SSHIA’s), Dr Simeon Onyemechi, gave the charge while welcoming the members of the forum to the 2026 First Quarter Meeting of the forum in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Dr Onyemechi said all States Health insurance Agencies must ensure they collaborate and pull everyone together at the same time in order to avoid what he describes as the “polio effect”

“Let’s not allow anything to break our ranks, and work shoulder to shoulder, because if one state does not do the needful with regard to the UHC, then ultimately, Nigeria will not be said to have attained the UHC.” “The polio case is still fresh in our minds when we were running on the elimination, and then eradication phases for the country, the fact that one state still had was a challenge and Nigeria could not be certified polio free, the same way if any state is left behind in this race, Nigeria will not be said to have attained the universal health coverage”. He said.

Dr Onyeamechi, who used the medium to inform the members that he was stepping down as the forum’s chair following the expiration of his two-term tenure as the Chief Executive Officer of the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA), thanked the members for their support.

“If for any reason, we overstepped, I know you have already found a way to forgive us for any misstep, but if we didn’t, then we thank you for the support you’ve given us, there is an exco that is still there which I will charge you all to continue to support for the good of this UHC agenda that we are all trying to achieve” He Concluded.

In a remark, the Forum’s Secretary General and CEO of Rivers State SHIA, Dr Vetty Agala, said the objectives of the Q1 review meeting was to review progress, identify challenges and proffer solutions while peer learning.

She added that the meeting was also to conduct a bye-election to fill the vacant seats created by some members leaving their positions. She added that the Forum is also poised to engage the NHIA on burning issues and to plan the upcoming national summit.

On the status update of the States Implementation, the Vice chair of the Forum and the Director-General of Katsina State Contributory Health Management Agency, Mohammed Tukur Shafana, said states’ health insurance agencies’ enrollment numbers have seen an upward surge.

“The enrollment figures have been going up and up, and implementation across states have been quite impressive. Some states that have not started are now on board, as at now we have over 17million enrollment across our various states, which is outside the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) data”

On the Mandatory National Identification Number (NIN) requirement for health insurance enrollment, Shafana said states have deployed innovative ways to overcome that challenge. “In Katsina state, for example, we were able to identify those without NIN and gave them specific deadline to bring in their NIN otherwise they will be delisted and replaced with those who have, and we have been able to liaise with NIMC agents especially at facility levels to register those who don’t have NIN, and other states have done similar things”.

Highpoints of the meetings was a bye election that affirmed Mallam Safana Mohammed as substantive Chairman of the forum.

Dr Aledare emerged as the Vice Chairman 1 with Dr Divine Igwe as the Vice Chairman 2.

One of the resolutions of the Forum’s first quarter 2026 meeting is to work together to achieve Universal Health Coverage.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT.

The Forum of CEOs of State Social Health Insurance Agencies (SSHIAs) in Nigeria is a peer-review platform for the Chief Executive Officers and Executive Secretaries of state-level health insurance agencies.