The Federal Government has intensified efforts to integrate trusted digital identity into Nigeria’s healthcare system as part of ongoing reforms aimed at accelerating Universal Health Coverage (UHC), improving patient care and expanding health insurance access for millions of Nigerians.
The initiative is expected to transform healthcare delivery by connecting digital identity with patient records, health insurance enrolment, disease surveillance and service provision across the country.
The renewed commitment was reaffirmed during a strategic meeting between the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote.
The meeting followed a presentation highlighting the opportunities created by the newly enacted National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, 2025.
Speaking during the engagement, Pate described the new legislation as a major milestone that establishes the legal framework for a secure and trusted digital identity ecosystem capable of supporting Nigeria’s digital health transformation under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to the minister, integrating trusted digital identity into the health sector will eliminate challenges associated with patient identification, improve continuity of care and facilitate interoperable electronic medical records across healthcare facilities nationwide.
He explained that the initiative would also strengthen disease surveillance, enhance health sector planning and promote evidence-based policymaking while ensuring the security and confidentiality of citizens’ health information.
Pate noted that the integration is expected to significantly improve enrolment and beneficiary verification under the National Health Insurance programme, thereby extending financial protection to millions of Nigerians and advancing the country’s goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage by 2030.
He further disclosed that revitalised Primary Healthcare Centres across the country currently record approximately 45 million patient visits every quarter.
According to him, deploying a trusted digital identity system will improve efficiency in managing the growing patient population while strengthening identification processes and overall healthcare service delivery.
To facilitate implementation, the minister directed the immediate establishment of a joint technical working group comprising officials from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Health Data and Digital Health Coordination Office, relevant health agencies and the National Identity Management Commission.
The committee is expected to coordinate implementation efforts, monitor progress and develop performance dashboards that will support data-driven decision-making across Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
Pate also stressed that the digital identity initiative must be implemented inclusively to ensure that persons living with disabilities and other vulnerable groups are not excluded from accessing healthcare services.
Earlier, the Director-General of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, said the newly signed NIMC Act provides the legal foundation for secure digital authentication, interoperability and trusted digital services across government institutions.
She reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to working closely with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to provide the digital identity infrastructure required to support ongoing reforms in the nation’s health sector.
According to her, the collaboration demonstrates the Federal Government’s whole-of-government approach to building a more efficient, transparent and technology-driven healthcare system capable of delivering equitable and quality health services to every Nigerian.
