Senator Oloriegbe Inaugurated as Chairman of NHIA Governing Council

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Minister of health and social welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate and Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe at the inauguration

Senator Oloriegbe Inaugurated as Chairman of NHIA Governing Council

• Architect of Health Insurance Reform Returns to Lead Implementation of NHIA Act 2022

In a milestone event held at the Federal Ministry of Health on Friday, July 11, 2025, Senator Dr. Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and principal sponsor of the NHIA Act 2022, has been formally inaugurated as the Chairman of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Governing Council.

The inauguration marked the reconstitution of the NHIA Governing Council for the first time since 2017, and its first composition under the provisions of the transformative NHIA Act 2022. Senator Oloriegbe’s appointment is widely seen as a full-circle moment for Nigeria’s healthcare reform movement, bringing back the principal architect of the reform to now lead its implementation.

“Having fought for mandatory health insurance as a legislator, I now have the privilege to lead its implementation. It is an honor and a challenge I embrace with full commitment,” Senator Oloriegbe stated during his inaugural remarks.

He expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the appointment, the Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for his support, and the Coordinating Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, for his cooperation and leadership. He also thanked well-wishers across Nigeria and abroad for their messages of goodwill.

Senator Oloriegbe, who brings over 40 years of experience as a medical doctor, health systems expert, legislator, and reform advocate, outlined a bold transformation agenda for the NHIA. His priorities include rapid implementation of mandatory health insurance to significantly expand coverage; recovery and prudent management of financial resources; urgent reform of NHIA’s human capital base; strengthening regulatory effectiveness; and deepening stakeholder collaboration across public, private, and civil society sectors.

He noted that ensuring the effective disbursement of the Vulnerable Group Fund in line with the NHIA Act would be a key focus of the Council, as would ensuring equity and inclusiveness in healthcare access, particularly for underserved populations. The Council, he emphasized, would also focus on rebuilding public trust in the NHIA by enhancing transparency, accountability, and service delivery.

The inauguration event drew dignitaries and stakeholders from across the health sector and governance institutions. In attendance were the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, and Senator representing Kwara North, Pharm. Sadiq Suleiman Umar, and immediate past Kogi Central Senator, Sen. Yakubu Oseni who graced the event in solidarity with the new Chairman who was their erstwhile colleague in the 9th Senate. Also present was the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom Vongden, mni, along with other senior government officials, civil society leaders, employer groups, trade unions, and development partners.

The newly inaugurated NHIA Governing Council comprises a diverse blend of sectoral experts and institutional representatives. Members include Senator Dr. Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe (Chairman); Dr. Kelechi Ohiri (Secretary and NHIA Director-General); Dr. Kamil Shoretire (Representative of the Department of Health Planning, Research and Statistics), Federal Ministry of Health); Brigadier General (Dr.) Idris Babatunde Solebo (Representative of the Armed Forces); Comrade Kabiru Ado Sani (Representative of the Nigeria Labour Congress); Vivianne Ihekweazu of Nigeria Health Watch (Representative of Civil Society Organisations); Mr. Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde (Representative of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association – NECA); as well as representatives from the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Federal Ministry of Finance.

Delivering his remarks, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, described the inauguration as a critical milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward Universal Health Coverage. He commended Senator Oloriegbe’s return to the health insurance space as fitting and transformational, noting that the Senator had been “a co-architect of Nigeria’s health sector reform for more than three decades,” with experience dating back to his leadership of the Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria and more recently, his pivotal role in the passage of the NHIA Act while serving in the Senate.

Prof. Pate described the appointment as a “round peg in a round hole,” emphasizing that Senator Oloriegbe’s deep understanding of policy, legislation, and system delivery uniquely positions him to drive forward the mandate of the Authority. “We are very honoured that two Senators accompanied the Chairman of the Governing Council today. It’s not something we see every day, and it shows the respect and recognition Senator Oloriegbe commands within both the legislative and health policy communities,” the Minister said.

He highlighted the recent progress under the NHIA leadership, including an increase in health insurance enrollment by over four million Nigerians, expansion of the Vulnerable Group Fund, and the scaling of emergency and maternal health interventions such as fistula repair and access to emergency obstetric care. Prof. Pate urged the Council to sustain this momentum and drive reforms that would expand financial protection and access to healthcare across the country.

Referencing a forthcoming national summit on sustainable health financing, the Minister revealed that President Tinubu had recently approved plans for NHIA to lead preparations, further underscoring the Authority’s central role in Nigeria’s health reform efforts.

He challenged the Council to find innovative solutions within Nigeria’s limited fiscal space to expand access. “Health is not cheap. Quality healthcare comes at a cost, and countries that succeed in delivering care to their people do so because someone pays. Our challenge is to grow our domestic resources and make them work for millions of Nigerians who currently cannot afford care.”

The event concluded with a charge to the newly inaugurated Governing Council to uphold the law, ensure effective governance, and collaborate closely with the Ministry in delivering on President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for health.

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