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Emergency health issues or underlying health concerns can spring up at any time. A health insurance scheme is a good back up plan to prevent one from going bankrupt from the expensive bills one may likely incur. A health insurance scheme is a necessity in these times.
Securing accessible and affordable healthcare was made possible through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Nigeria. NHIS is a Scheme for all Nigerians and everyone in both the private and public should leverage the scheme’s offerings, from enrollment to maintaining active coverage, ensuring that healthcare services are readily available when needed.
This article will educate you on how to enroll in the NHIS for coverage and knowing how to regularly check your NHIS status to ensure your healthcare benefits are active and up-to-date.
Table of contents
- What is the National Health Insurance Scheme?
- Medical-related expenses covered by NHIS include:
- Programmes offered by NHIS
- Benefits of The National Health Insurance Scheme
- NHIS in Nigeria
- How to register for the NHIS Online in Nigeria?
- How To Get NHIS Number
- How Long Does It Take For NHIS To Be Active
- How To Transfer NHIS To Another Hospital
- How Much is NHIS in Nigeria
- How Do I Know My NHIS is Working?
- Bottom Line
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is the National Health Insurance Scheme?
The National Health Insurance Scheme, also known as NHIS, is a corporate body that provides health insurance in Nigeria for Nigerians. It’s objective is to provide accessible healthcare to all Nigerians, regardless of social strata or income.
It also aims to provide affordable health care for participants with the use of prepaid plans. These payments are received into a collective fund, which is then used to cover expenses on health services and supplies that members may need.
Medical-related expenses covered by NHIS include:
- Consultations with medical specialists
- Outpatient care
- Prescribed drugs
- Dental and Eyecare
- Maternity care
- Preventive care
- Hospital care
- Prosthetics
Programmes offered by NHIS
NHIS offers a range of programmes catering to different demographics. They are divided into three categories as follows: formal sector, informal sector and vulnerable groups.
Formal sector handles health insurance to companies and their employees and also to ordinary citizens. Other subsets of categories in this sector include:
- Formal Sector Health Insurance Programmes: This is mandatory for all Nigerian companies that employ over ten employees, including civil service organisations and the private sector. Both employers and employees fill contributions in this pool. Funds in this programme cover the medical expenses of the employees, their spouses, and four biological children below the age of 18.
- Vital (or Voluntary) Contributors Social Health Insurance Programmes: This covers legal residents, retirees and for companies that employ less than ten employees. Medical expenses in this programme only cover the insured person.
- Tertiary Social health insurance programme: for students.
- Vulnerable Group
- Community-based social health insurance programme: for groups and communities with a number of 1000 and above.
- Pupil in Public primary school health insurance programme: for students in primary school.
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Three levels of care exist in NHIS.
They are:
- Primary health care providers: they are the first point of contact and gatekeepers. A participant upon enrollment will choose a primary health care provider.
- Secondary Health care providers: Contact with them occurs through referrals via the primary provider.
- Tertiary Health care providers: entry occurs through primary or secondary providers.
Benefits of The National Health Insurance Scheme
- Insured contributors benefit maternity care for up to four live births.
- Specific immunization programme for beneficiaries
- Access to health care without payments
- Free medical consultation
- Beneficiaries enjoy health education counseling, family planning, antenatal and postnatal care.
NHIS in Nigeria
The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Nigeria is a government health program or scheme designed to provide easy, accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare services to all Nigerians through various prepayment systems.
It aims to ensure that every Nigerian has access to good healthcare services without facing financial hardship, covering a range of medical treatments and services for subscribers and their dependents.
How to register for the NHIS Online in Nigeria?
Follow the steps below to register for NHIS so that you can manage your account from your smartphone:
- Go to nhisonline.com.
- Click on register.
- Input the required information (Name, Surname, NHIS number DOB, etc.) …
- Once this is concluded, you will be able to create an account by providing necessary details such as email, login password, and more.
- You are now registered with NHIS.
Or Alternatively, you can register easily with a used code by dialing *616#. Follow the prompts and fill out all important information and submit it. If the application is successful, you will receive your e-ID via text message.
How To Register For NHIS Online as a Voluntary Contributor
First, all stakeholders of the Formal Sector Social Health Insurance Program (FSSHIP), don’t need to enroll on NHIS platform online because employers usually register all their employees.
But if you are not a member of FSSHIP, you need to register with NHIS as a voluntary contributor. Follow the steps below:
- Research and choose your preferred HMO
- Visit their website and select the option of a voluntary contributor on their homepage
- Then scroll down the page and click on register
- They will provide a form for you on the next page. Fill out all the fields with your correct details. Also, you will be required to provide your state or origin and local government area.
- Towards the end of the process, you’ll be required to provide the name of your state and Local Government Area (LGA).
- Next thing would be a list of all the NHIS accredited healthcare close to you. Select the most convenient one for you. But even if you didn’t see this list, you can still proceed to make payment and the list will be resolved later.
How To Get NHIS Number
You can get your NHIS number after completing the registration with your correct information and making payment with the correct account details.
How Long Does It Take For NHIS To Be Active
Immediately after registration and payment, you will get your e-ID and your membership is automatically
How To Transfer NHIS To Another Hospital
To Transfer NHIS to another hospital, you need to visit their website, provide your details and make the transfer yourself. Alternatively, you can visit their office or contact them via their website to find out the process.
How Much is NHIS in Nigeria
| Number | Policies/Subscriptions | Amount | Fees for service Renewal |
| 1 | The cost of National Health Insurance Scheme registration for parents and their children | N9,000 naira per head | Annually |
| 2 | Family Private healthcare plan | N125,000 naira to N650,000 naira | Annually |
| 3 | Individual private healthcare plan | N35,000 naira to N220,000 naira | Annually |
| 4 | Voluntary Contributor Social Health Insurance Program (VCSHIP) | N15,000 naira for registration and N10,000 naira per head. | Annually |
| 5 | National Mobile Health Insurance Program (NMHIP) | N12,000 naira for registration and N9,000 naira per head | Annually |
How Do I Know My NHIS is Working?
To check whether your NHIS is working, first visit their website, provide your correct details and check the status of your contribution.
If the site cannot process your details or you have not been registered, visit the local NHIS office close to you for help.
Bottom Line
In a country like Nigeria, an affordable health insurance scheme is needed provided by the NHIS is a luxury anyone should partake in. For more extensive information on health insurance, it is advised that you visit your Health Management Organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between NHIS and NHIA?
NHIS is a scheme launched in 1999 and designed to provide easy, accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare services to all Nigerians. While the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is an Act signed in May 2022, which targets to promote effective implementation of a national health insurance policy and attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nigeria.
NHIA is a bigger authority and jurisdiction that regulates, manages, promotes, and integrates all health insurance schemes and practices in Nigeria.