The appeal came during a meeting in Lagos between the health maintenance organisation and a delegation from the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria (CIoD), led by Assistant Director Adekemi Parker, where both parties explored partnership frameworks aimed at strengthening insurance penetration and improving governance standards in the health sector.
At the heart of the discussions was a renewed push by Ultimate Health to scale enrolment into a newly introduced insurance package tailored specifically for informal sector workers—artisans, traders, transport operators, ICT clusters, and small-scale entrepreneurs who make up a significant share of Nigeria’s labour force but remain largely outside structured health coverage systems.
“They represent the majority of the population” — focus on informal workers
Speaking on the initiative, Managing Director of Ultimate Health, Lekan Ewenla, said the scheme was designed to address a structural gap in Nigeria’s healthcare financing system.
“We are creating a dedicated platform for the informal sector because they represent the majority of the population and are often excluded from structured healthcare financing systems,” he said.
The programme, he explained, is priced at ₦38,000 per person annually, and structured to integrate with existing service delivery systems already used by healthcare providers under Nigeria’s health insurance framework.
Ewenla noted that while many informal sector workers are economically active, they remain highly vulnerable to financial shock during medical emergencies due to reliance on direct out-of-pocket payments at the point of care.
Rising coverage, but gap still wide
Recent official data shows some progress in expanding health insurance access. According to the 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report, the number of insured Nigerians rose from 19.2 million in 2024 to 21.7 million in 2025, representing roughly 13 per cent of the population.
The report, produced by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare under the National Health Act of 2014, outlines progress under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and broader sector-wide reforms aimed at improving coordination and funding across federal and state levels.
Despite the improvement, the figures underline the scale of Nigeria’s coverage deficit, particularly in the informal sector where insurance uptake remains lowest.
Awareness gap and delayed care worsening outcomes
Ewenla attributed low enrolment not only to affordability challenges but also to weak awareness of available insurance options.
“Lack of adequate information is a major challenge. That is why we continue to engage the media and seek institutional partnerships. If people do not know what is available, they cannot access it,” he said.
He added that Ultimate Health is expanding sensitisation campaigns across organised informal groups and has begun recording increased acceptance in target communities.
Beyond access issues, he also raised concerns about delayed healthcare-seeking behaviour among Nigerians, noting that many patients only present at hospitals when conditions have become severe.
He described cases where individuals arrive in critical condition without clear caregiver identification, highlighting systemic issues tied to cost barriers and lack of preparedness for medical expenses.
According to him, stronger insurance coverage would reduce such emergencies by enabling earlier access to care without immediate financial pressure.
Insurance as a development tool
Ewenla further argued that expanding health insurance is not only a healthcare priority but also a broader economic necessity, pointing to countries with strong insurance systems that sustain better-funded health sectors and retain medical professionals.
“In countries where health insurance is well established, the system generates the financial depth needed to support healthcare delivery. Nigeria can achieve the same with sustained collaboration and commitment,” he said.
He added that Ultimate Health’s strategy rests on awareness campaigns, institutional partnerships, and product innovation aimed at narrowing the gap between insured and uninsured populations.
“We believe that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation, and we are committed to driving that change,” he said.
L-R: Senior Officer, Programmes and Events, Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria, Oluwabukonla Onwusa; Assistant Manager, Research, CIoD, Mudiaga Aliya; Assistant Director, Membership and Branch Development, CIoD, Adekemi Parker; Managing Director, Ultimate Health Management Services, Otunba Lekan Ewenla; HR/Organisation Development Consultant, Ultimate Health HMO, Adebayo Akinloye; and Head, Human Resources/Administration, Nancy Omoigui, during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria to Ultimate Health Management Services in Lagos, on Thursday. Photo: Elliot Ovadje.
Governance focus from CIoD
On its part, the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria said the engagement reflects its broader push to strengthen implementation and governance across key sectors of the economy, particularly those directly affecting public welfare.
According to CIoD representative Adekemi Parker, the institute is working to extend corporate governance principles beyond boardrooms into service-driven sectors like healthcare.
She described Ultimate Health as an important stakeholder within the institute’s health sector group, noting that the meeting offered an opportunity to deepen collaboration on governance frameworks and service quality improvements.
“One of our priorities is to strengthen collaboration with institutions driving innovation in key sectors. Healthcare is central to this, and today’s engagement reflects that objective,” she said.
Parker added that discussions also focused on improving compliance with governance codes and professional standards within Nigeria’s health insurance industry, with the goal of strengthening accountability and public trust.
Toward broader access and stronger systems
Both organisations signalled alignment on the need for expanded partnerships, improved awareness, and stronger institutional frameworks to accelerate health insurance adoption in Nigeria.
As the country continues to grapple with low coverage rates and heavy reliance on out-of-pocket spending, the collaboration reflects a growing push to reposition health insurance as a central pillar of national development rather than a peripheral service.