A recent survey has exposed a significant lack of awareness about health insurance among Nigerian youth, revealing that 1,556 out of 4,188 respondents had never heard of health insurance before.
The findings were presented in Abuja during the Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Youth Health Financing and Report Launch, organized by the Dean Initiative and funded by the Government of Ireland’s International Development Programme. The study covered all six area councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and aimed to assess young people’s access to healthcare services.
Healthcare Challenges for Young Nigerians
In his opening remarks, Semiye Michael, Executive Director of Dean Initiative, emphasized the importance of policy reforms and partnerships in addressing healthcare challenges for young people.
“We need to challenge existing policies and explore new ways to ensure that health services are both accessible and affordable for Nigerian youth,” Michael stated.
The study focused on three key areas:
✅ Accessibility of primary healthcare services
✅ Awareness and utilization of healthcare services
✅ Government investment in health insurance for unemployed and vulnerable youth
During the discussion, Gafar Alawode, CEO of Development International Governance (DGI) Consult, highlighted the urgent need for health financing reforms.
Nigeria spends only $10 per person on health, far below the $86 per person required for universal health coverage
The Abuja Declaration recommends that 15% of the national budget be allocated to health, yet Nigeria spends less than 5%
Out-of-pocket healthcare costs remain extremely high at 75%, compared to the 20-30% range in well-funded health systems
Alawode also raised concerns about inefficient spending in the healthcare sector, pointing out that in some states, nearly half of healthcare workers were found to be “ghost workers”—wasting critical resources.
Key Recommendations
To bridge the healthcare access gap, stakeholders proposed several policy and funding reforms:
✔️ Expand the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) from 1% to 2% of Nigeria’s consolidated revenue
✔️ Introduce health taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks to fund health programs
✔️ Utilize diaspora remittances and telecommunication taxes for healthcare financing
✔️ Improve public awareness through social media campaigns and community outreach
✔️ Subsidize NHIS and BHCPF premiums for unemployed and vulnerable youth
✔️ Reform PHC service delivery by training healthcare providers in youth-friendly approaches
Moving Forward
The Dean Initiative urged policymakers to prioritize youth healthcare financing, ensuring that all young Nigerians, regardless of their financial status, have access to affordable, quality healthcare. The report emphasized the urgent need for action to prevent a worsening crisis in youth health and well-being.