The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Service Compact with All Nigerians (SERVICOM), aiming to strengthen data management and improve service delivery within Nigeria’s health insurance system.
At the signing ceremony in Abuja, Kelechi Ohiri, director-general of NHIA, described the agreements as an important step toward making the agency’s operations more evidence-based and responsive to citizens’ needs.
“Today is a landmark day for us because we have been able to sign MoUs that represent real commitments by the respective organisations. These are not just documents; they are concrete steps toward improving data quality and service experience for Nigerians,” Ohiri added.
He explained that the partnership with NBS would help ensure NHIA policies and programmes are guided by accurate, inclusive data.
“This is both a commitment of the Statistician-General and myself to work together towards improving data quality and to be able to answer simple but crucial questions: what works well in Nigeria, and are we having measurable impact on people’s lives?”
Read also: 150 patients await surgery as Jos orthopaedic hospital resumes full operations
Speaking on the second MoU, Ohiri said the partnership with SERVICOM is aimed at improving the service experience of over 20 million Nigerians covered by health insurance programmes.
“For us at NHIA, these are people whose experiences matter,” he said.
He noted that the agreement, which coincides with Customer Service Week, will strengthen feedback systems and complaint resolution mechanisms.
Addressing questions on petitions made against some institutions, Ohiri revealed that NHIA resolved about 90 per cent of over 2,000 complaints from enrollees last year.
“We encourage people to speak up when there’s a problem. Silence is what I call the silence of the graveyard; it gives a false impression that everything is fine when it’s not. People must feel they can be heard, and we must make sure they are heard”, he said.
Anthony Oshie, SERVICOM national coordinator, commended NHIA for initiating the collaboration and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to strengthening service delivery in the health sector.
He described the signing as “a significant milestone” that will enhance citizens’ access to quality healthcare and promote accountability in public institutions.
“Today, we are ready to move forward, not just on paper, but in action, to make sure citizens can see and feel the difference in service delivery,” he said.
