Photo: Armdy01, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0NHIA: the National Health Insurance Authority (formerly NHIS)
- Enrol online: the NHIA Self Service Portal, linked as "Get Enrolled" from nhia.gov.ng (seen 31 October 2026).
- Choose an HMO: the NHIA list of accredited HMOs.
- Contact NHIA: info@nhia.gov.ng, +234 804 231 8888 (NHIA contacts).
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What the NHIA Act 2022 says
| Section | Rule |
|---|---|
| 13 | Each state and the FCT may set up a health insurance or contributory scheme covering all its residents, at least at the Basic Minimum Package of the National Health Act; they must cover vulnerable persons without premiums. |
| 14 | Every person resident in Nigeria shall be required to obtain health insurance: employers and employees with five staff and above, informal sector workers and all other residents. |
| 15 | A private health insurance scheme must be a company accredited by the Authority (an HMO) and keep a security deposit in an accredited bank. |
| 16 | No one may operate a health insurance scheme of any type without registration and a licence from the Authority. |
| 25–27 | The Vulnerable Group Fund subsidises health insurance for vulnerable persons and pays premiums for indigents. |
| 58 | The National Health Insurance Scheme Act, Cap. N42, is repealed. |
Text: NHIA Act 2022, gazetted copy. "Vulnerable group" includes "children under five, pregnant women, the aged, physically and mentally challenged and the indigent" (section 61).
NHIA programmes
- Formal sector: federal public servants and the Organised Private Sector (OPSSHIP), paid by employer and employee (NHIA).
- GIFSHIP: the Group, Individual and Family Social Health Insurance Programme, for anyone who joins and pays themselves (NHIA).
- TISHIP: students in tertiary institutions, according to NHIA's FAQ.
- State schemes and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund: see state health insurance.
How to join: NHIA registration.
Contact NHIA and complaints
Head office: 297 Shehu Yar'adua Way, Utako District, Abuja; annex: 6 Fria Close, Wuse II, Abuja. Phone +234 804 231 8888, +234 805 901 5854, +234 808 328 0131; info@nhia.gov.ng. The contact form on the NHIA website has a "Complaint" category (NHIA contact). NHIA's FAQ says complaints can be lodged with NHIA offices, HMOs or the NHIA call centre.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between NHIS and NHIA?
NHIS was the National Health Insurance Scheme under the NHIS Act (Cap. N42). The National Health Insurance Authority Act 2022 repealed it and created the NHIA, with health insurance made mandatory for every resident.
How do I contact NHIA?
info@nhia.gov.ng or +234 804 231 8888, +234 805 901 5854, +234 808 328 0131; head office at Shehu Yar'adua Way, Utako, Abuja.
Who is covered free under NHIA?
The Act asks states and the FCT to cover vulnerable persons without premiums, financed by the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and the Vulnerable Group Fund. Vulnerable groups include children under five, pregnant women, the aged, people with disabilities and the indigent.
Sources
- National Health Insurance Authority Act 2022 (Act No. 17, Official Gazette No. 95, Vol. 109, 24 May 2022) — NHIA gazetted copy
- NHIA — Frequently asked questions (contributions, dependants, complaints)
- NHIA — Registration requirements for GIFSHIP (Group, Individual and Family Social Health Insurance Programme)
- NHIA — Registration requirements for the Organized Private Sector Social Health Insurance Programme (OPSSHIP)
- NHIA — Contact us (head office, phone numbers, e-mail)
- NHIA Self Service Portal (enrolment), linked as "Get Enrolled" from nhia.gov.ng (seen 31 October 2026)