The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has stressed the urgent need to strengthen actuarial capacity and institutionalise evidence-based policymaking within Nigeria's healthcare financing sector, as the country grapples with mounting pressures on the public health system.
Dr Kelechi Ohiri, NHIA director-general, underscored the importance of actuarial expertise in designing and sustaining financially viable health insurance schemes that can withstand long-term fiscal pressures, according to an article on the businessamlive.com website. He was speaking at the annual Nigerian Actuarial Society (NAS) conference last month.
He said that before his appointment, Nigeria’s health insurance tariffs, capitation, and service fees were last reviewed in 2011—a 14-year gap that led to outdated pricing structures and growing discontent among providers. He started serving as NHIA director-general in November 2023. The NHIA, under his leadership, embarked on a comprehensive evidence-based review which resulted in increased rates.
He named four priority areas where actuarial expertise will be critical to the authority’s mandate: strengthening data collection and modelling; designing insurance products with appropriate pricing; supporting regulatory oversight and solvency standards; and building capacity across the ecosystem.
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