The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced a significant public health achievement: its Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS) has not only met but substantially exceeded its 2025 enrolment target. This milestone, revealed during the 2025 Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day commemoration, offers a compelling case study in effective policy implementation and strategic partnership.
Dr. Babagana Adam, Permanent Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES), disclosed that the FHIS successfully revalidated and enrolled 69,512 beneficiaries. This figure includes over 33,000 newly registered individuals classified as vulnerable. The result is a staggering 64% achievement of the scheme’s overall target, surpassing the annual ministerial deliverable of 25,000 enrollees by more than 8,000 people.
Decoding the Strategy: How the Target Was Exceeded
The success was not accidental. Dr. Adam attributed it to a deliberate, multi-pronged strategy focused on removing systemic barriers to enrolment:
- Strategic Collaboration with NIMC: A key innovation was the partnership with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). By integrating enrolment with the issuance of National Identification Numbers (NINs), the FHIS solved a critical data and identification challenge. This linkage ensures beneficiary authenticity, reduces fraud, and creates a robust database for future healthcare planning and resource allocation.
- Grassroots Mobilization & Market Sensitization: Moving beyond government offices was central to the strategy. As highlighted by the Acting Director of FHIS, Dr. Salamatu Belgore, the agency conducted medical outreach and sensitization walks in local markets. This “taking the conversation to the people” approach builds trust within communities, demystifies health insurance, and directly addresses the target audience—especially informal sector workers and vulnerable groups who are often hardest to reach.
- Focus on the Vulnerable Population: Enrolling over 33,000 new vulnerable beneficiaries indicates a targeted effort to ensure equity. This is a critical component of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), which aims to leave no one behind. It suggests the use of community-based targeting mechanisms to identify and register those who cannot afford premiums, likely subsidized by government funds.
Context and Significance: More Than Just a Number
This achievement must be viewed within the broader national and global context. Dr. Adam explicitly linked the effort to the 2025 UHC Day theme, “Unaffordable health costs? We are sick of it!” and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.8. This connection underscores the practical work being done to combat catastrophic health expenditures—a primary driver of poverty in Nigeria.
Dr. Belgore’s statement that “Health insurance is not a luxury; it is a shield against financial shock” encapsulates the transformative potential of this work. For each of the 69,512 beneficiaries, this shield means access to essential healthcare without the fear of crippling out-of-pocket costs, which can deter care-seeking and worsen health outcomes.
Sustaining Momentum: The Road Ahead
While celebrating this success, FCTA officials outlined a forward-looking agenda to consolidate gains and push toward universal coverage:
- System Strengthening: Dr. Adam reaffirmed commitments to upgrade health facilities and support the workforce, recognizing that insurance coverage is meaningless without quality services to back it up.
- Expanded Outreach: Dr. Belgore announced plans for town hall meetings across all six Area Councils of the FCT. This geographical expansion is crucial for reaching rural and peri-urban populations.
- Building a Resilient System: The ultimate goal, as stated by Dr. Adam, is to “build a resilient health system that delivers quality care to everyone, everywhere, every time.” This requires sustained funding, continuous data-driven evaluation, and political will.
The FCTA’s achievement demonstrates that with strategic partnerships, community engagement, and a clear focus on equity, ambitious health insurance targets are attainable. It provides a valuable model for other states in Nigeria and serves as a tangible step toward making the right to health a reality for residents of the nation’s capital. The challenge now is to maintain this momentum, ensure the quality of care under the scheme, and systematically close the remaining coverage gap.
(Source: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Edited by Abiemwense Moru)
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