IFC and Nigeria’s Health Insurance Scheme to Widen Insurance Coverage in Nigeria

In Nairobi 
Houtan Bassiri 
Phone: +254 20 275-9436 
E-mail: HBassiri@ifc.org 

In Washington, D.C. 
Ludi Joseph 
Phone: +1 (202) 473-7700 
Email: .org 

In Washington, D.C. 
Ludi Joseph 
Phone: +1 (202) 473-7700 
Email: LJoseph@ifc.org




Lagos, Nigeria/Washington, D.C., October 21, 2009 - IFC, a member of the World 
Bank Group, and Nigeria’s National Health Insurance Scheme announced today that 
they will work together to help extend health insurance to more Nigerians. 

IFC and NHIS signed an agreement to develop an information technology system 
and new business practices to enhance the performance of NHIS and expand health 
insurance coverage in Nigeria. The partnership will also include a review of 
laws, regulations, and institutions that govern the health care sector. In 
addition, IFC and NHIS will devise a strategy to finance improvements. 

Mohammed Dogo-Muhammad, NHIS’s CEO and Executive Secretary, said, “NHIS is 
pleased to partner with IFC on this important initiative to improve efficiency 
and performance of Nigeria’s health insurance system and ultimately increase 
access to health care for all — a priority for the Nigerian government.”  
  
Solomon Adegbie-Quaynor, IFC Country Manager for Nigeria, said, “By 
implementing reforms based on international best practices, IFC and NHIS will 
help improve Nigeria’s health insurance, ensure its sustainability, and bring 
health care to Nigerians that need it the most.” 

IFC places a high priority on increasing access to health care for people of 
all income levels and raising standards of quality and efficiency in the 
sector.  This initiative is part of the larger IFC-World Bank strategy to 
support improvements to health care in Sub-Saharan Africa. 

About IFC 
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, creates opportunity for people to escape 
poverty and improve their lives. We foster sustainable economic growth in 
developing countries by supporting private sector development, mobilizing 
private capital, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to 
businesses and governments. Our new investments totaled $15 billion in fiscal 
2009, helping channel capital into developing countries during the financial 
crisis. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.
 
About NHIS 
Nigeria’s National Health Insurance Scheme was established in 1999 to regulate 
and administer social health insurance in Nigeria. NHIS currently covers about 
4.5 million people, about three percent of the country’s population. Nigeria’s 
leadership has identified the scaling-up of NHIS to reach 100 percent coverage 
by 2015 as a top national priority. For more information, visit www.nhis.gov.ng
.