By Akanimo Kufre
Despite receiving an award for the state with the fastest-growing health insurance enrollment under the first year, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Health, Hon. Amos Magaji, suggested a faster growth rate for Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance coverage if mandatory policies are stipulated for the Organized Formal Sector in the state.
“It is not just about engaging with them. When they bid for jobs, some of the things they must submit is their Health insurance policy for company staff.
“You claim to have up to five staff. I think the state should make it mandatory and even the local government. Akwa Ibom State should make it a policy that anybody doing business with the government should insure his staff. I think with that, by the time we come next year, we’ll be seeing you running in millions.”
Hon. Magaji advised during the committee’s visit to Akwa Ibom State to assess the performance of Basic Healthcare Provisions Fund on Friday, 17th May 2025, in Uyo.
Hon. Magaji equally proposed that the Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Agency (AKSHIA) engage media partners to maximize awareness and benefit of the health insurance schemes to the informal sector.
During his PowerPoint presentations before the Committee members, Hon. Commissioner, Dr. Ekem John, and other health sector stakeholders, Dr. Igbemi Igbemi – Permanent Secretary, Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Agency, noted that over 145,000 persons were enrolled in the health insurance scheme within a year.
The state won the fastest enrollment growth award in April 2025 from the Institute of Health Insurance and Managed Care of Nigeria. Akwa Ibom State started late to offer the health insurance schemes services in November 2024. However, Dr Ekem John, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Health considered a review of the success to grow enrollment based on the state population ratio.
Dr. Igbemi appreciated the Federation government for providing the funds for states to start the health insurance scheme. “When people started seeing the benefits, others were getting, interest came up.”
The major challenge faced by the AKSHIA was accessibility of the reserved funds for the scheme. Hon. Billy Osawaru, a Committee member, assured that whenever Dr. Igbemi writes a request for assistance, the Committee will take appropriate action to ensure release.
The Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Agency boss also hinted that the agency had launched Self-Enrollment Portal to encourage citizens’ enrollment, especially the informal sector, which forms the largest part of Akwa Ibom State’s 7.5 million population.
Other Committee members at the sitting included Hon. Ime Okon, Hon. Akiba Bassey, Hon. Emil Inyang, and Hon. Esosa Iyawe. Akwa Ibom State Health Commissioner, Dr. Ekem John, and Permanent Secretary, Dr. Patrick Essiet, were also in the meeting. The House of Representatives Committee on Health is currently touring the 36 states of the Federation to understand how states utilize the Basic Healthcare Provisions Fund.
