Nationwide Health Insurance Compliance Vital for Nigerian Workers, Says Industry Leader
Otunba Lekan Ewenla, Managing Director and CEO of Ultimate Health Management Services, is advocating for a concerted national effort to ensure businesses adhere to the Federal Government’s mandate requiring health insurance coverage for employees numbering five or more. Ewenla stressed the importance of widespread public awareness and collaborative partnerships to successfully implement the policy.
He urged Health Maintenance Organisations (hmos) to actively partner with the National Health Insurance authority (NHIA) and the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) to clearly communicate the advantages and requirements of the directive to companies across the country. Ewenla pointed out that many employers are already allocating funds for employee healthcare, making compliance a matter of redirecting existing resources rather than incurring new costs.
“currently, many companies budget a medical allowance as part of employee compensation, alongside benefits like housing and transportation,” Ewenla explained. ”The directive simply asks them to channel those existing funds into health insurance premiums.” He cited the prosperous 2005 implementation within the public sector, where a 10% allocation from civil servants’ salaries – previously designated as medical allowance – was transitioned into health insurance contributions as a viable model for private companies.
Ewenla highlighted a key benefit of the policy: the creation of a centralized national database of insured employees, linked to their National Identification Numbers (NINs). This unified system, he believes, will facilitate improved healthcare planning, greater accountability, and more effective resource allocation nationwide.
Furthermore, Ewenla contends that increased enrollment in health insurance programs could help address the concerning trend of medical professionals leaving Nigeria. A larger subscriber base would inject vital financial resources into the healthcare sector, enabling providers to invest in infrastructure and offer competitive salaries, potentially attracting and retaining skilled medical personnel.
He emphasized the need for HMOs to proactively engage with smaller businesses, who may be less informed about the directive, thru targeted education and outreach programs.Ewenla believes this focused effort is essential to maximizing enrollment and guaranteeing all Nigerian workers have access to quality healthcare.
Ultimately, ewenla concluded, consistent and systematic adherence to the government’s directive will not onyl improve the health and well-being of the workforce but also contribute to a stronger, more resilient national healthcare system.