Stakeholders and policymakers in the health sector from the government and private sectors across the 36 states of the federation, including the FCT, converged in Akure, the Ondo State capital, for the maiden edition of the National Summit of States Social Health Insurance Agencies (SSHIAs).
The two-day programme, which commenced on Monday, June 8, 2026, at the International Culture and Event Centre (Dome), is aimed at strengthening collaboration, innovation, and policy advancement in Nigeria’s health insurance sector, and at addressing challenges in healthcare financing and the pursuit of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Themed “Economic Realities and the UHC Dream: Mobilising States for a Scalable Health Insurance Future,” the summit provides a strategic platform for states to brainstorm, share experiences, showcase achievements, and develop unified strategies for expanding affordable, quality healthcare coverage.
Declaring the summit open, the host Governor, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, said the debate around healthcare financing had become more urgent due to inflationary pressures and worsening economic conditions affecting households nationwide.
He noted that financial constraints often force families to delay seeking medical attention until conditions become severe and costlier to treat.

The governor stressed that social health insurance remains a critical instrument for shielding citizens from catastrophic health expenditure and ensuring equitable access to care, irrespective of income.
He said his administration had prioritised healthcare through the Ondo State Contributory Health Commission (ODCHC), which continues to expand insurance coverage and improve service delivery across the state.
He explained that the Orange Health Insurance Scheme currently covers public servants and their dependants, while registration has also commenced for informal sector participants and members of local security outfits.
He further highlighted the Abiyamo Maternal and Child Health Insurance Programme, which provides free antenatal services, safe delivery care, and health coverage for children under five years.
The governor also noted the implementation of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund programme, under which vulnerable residents across all 203 political wards in the 18 local government areas have been enrolled in health insurance schemes.
Reaffirming his administration’s inclusive approach, Governor Aiyedatiwa announced the formal inclusion of retirees into the Orange Health Insurance Scheme, with the state government assuming full financial responsibility for their enrolment.
According to him, the decision was informed by the increasing healthcare needs of pensioners, particularly the rising cost of medical care in old age.
Aiyedatiwa urged State Social Health Insurance Agencies nationwide to sustain reforms aimed at improving access to affordable healthcare.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Ajaka, described the health insurance scheme as a critical driver of Universal Health Coverage at the grassroots.
He added that the initiative marks a departure from the traditional method of accessing healthcare services through out-of-pocket expenses.
Ajaka described the summit as a timely platform to address critical challenges in Nigeria’s health sector, noting that current economic realities require states to adopt innovative financing strategies to sustain healthcare delivery.
According to him, reliance on traditional funding models is no longer sufficient, stressing the need for efficient resource mobilisation, reduced leakages, and expanded reach to the informal sector and vulnerable populations.
The Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, commended the Ondo State government for initiating a series of programmes in health insurance aimed at covering poor and vulnerable groups.
He described the gesture as remarkable and a testament to the commitment and leadership of the governor.
According to him, Ondo State’s hosting of the maiden edition of the SSHIAs summit reaffirms the state government’s commitment to championing universal health coverage.
Calling for a collaborative effort towards providing accessible universal healthcare coverage for Nigerians, he reiterated President Tinubu’s efforts in advancing the health sector and expanding health insurance coverage, which recorded a 33 per cent increase from the baseline in 2023.
“His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, as part of his Renewed Hope Agenda, signalled the importance of Universal Health Coverage. This was why, in 2023, when the Nigeria Health Sector Renewed Hope Investment Initiative was put in place, led by the Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, health insurance and financial access for all Nigerians played a significant role.

“But this is not a journey that one agency — the National Health Insurance Authority — could achieve alone. This is something where all hands must be on deck, and it has heralded a new way of working and partnership between the NHIA, the state health insurance schemes, and private health insurance providers, sharing a common goal: to ensure that we expand financial protection to all Nigerians.
“But despite this positive trajectory, we must confront an uncomfortable truth. Although about 22 million Nigerians are covered, most Nigerians still lack financial risk protection. The implication is that we, as leaders, practitioners, and policymakers, must adapt, improve, and accelerate.
“Every stakeholder in this room must unite to scale up effective financial risk protection mechanisms that shield our people from poverty induced by healthcare costs,” he said.
Also speaking, the Ekiti State Commissioner for Health and Chairman of the Forum of Health Commissioners, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, commended Ondo State for recording the lowest neonatal and infant mortality rates in Nigeria.
He said data from the National Demographic and Health Survey showed neonatal mortality at three per 1,000 live births and infant mortality at eight per 1,000.
He said universal health coverage should be treated as a prioritisation framework rather than merely a financing issue.
The representative of the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Abubakar Yerima, affirmed that the organisation was proud to stand with SSHIAs, noting that the summit’s theme resonates deeply with CHAI.
In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the Forum of Chief Executive Officers of State Social Health Insurance Agencies and Director-General of the Katsina State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency, Dr. Muhammed Safana, described the summit as a milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards universal health coverage.
He said it marked the first coordinated gathering of all state health insurance agencies and the Federal Capital Territory under a unified platform.
The Ondo State Director-General of the Contributory Health Commission, Dr. Abiodun Oyeneyin, provided insights into the summit’s purpose.