Health stakeholders have urged stronger financing reforms and the integration of digital health solutions to improve maternal healthcare access in Kaduna State and accelerate progress toward universal health coverage.
The call came during the Health Access 2025 Roundtable Dialogue on Health Financing and Digital Health Acceleration, organized by the ACIOE Foundation with support from MSD for Mothers, in collaboration with the Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA).
The dialogue aimed to review state-level health financing initiatives, assess digital deployment, identify policy and implementation gaps, and co-develop practical strategies to expand insurance enrollment and integrate the Nigeria Digital Health Initiative (NDHI) into Kaduna’s health system.
Speaking on Wednesday in Kaduna, State Commissioner for Health, Umma Ahmed, said the roundtable came at a crucial moment in Nigeria’s journey toward universal health coverage.
She noted that despite the National Health Insurance Authority Act and recent directives by President Bola Tinubu mandating broad insurance enrollment, less than 10 per cent of Nigerians currently have coverage, leaving households vulnerable to financial shocks from healthcare costs.
Ahmed highlighted that NDHI is reshaping digital health delivery by improving data systems and accountability. She urged stakeholders to design actionable pilot models that expand access for informal workers, women, and indigent households.
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“We must expand insurance access and digital inclusion to ensure every resident of Kaduna can access affordable, quality, and digitally-enabled healthcare,” she said.
In her presentation, Ibukun Ajeigbe, Programme Manager at ACIOE Foundation, said the meeting was part of the Maternal Health Advocacy and Communication Project, supported by MSD for Mothers and jointly implemented with Nigeria Health Watch.
Ajeigbe noted that Nigeria continues to face one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates due to funding gaps, workforce shortages, and implementation challenges. While the country operates a unified platform—“One Plan, One Budget, One Report”—to harmonize maternal health efforts, financing gaps remain a major barrier.
“We are collaborating with the private sector, CBN, Bank of Industry, fintechs, and commercial banks to unlock more funding and expand non-traditional payment channels. Health is a business. If we can treat agriculture as a business, we must do the same for healthcare,” she said.
Ahmed added that leveraging digital tools would improve decision-making, patient-centered care, and accountability in service delivery. Ajeigbe reaffirmed ACIOE Foundation’s mission to empower women and youth through interventions in reproductive health, education, gender inclusion, and WASH for sustainable impact.
The dialogue also highlighted past investments from MSD for Mothers in digital health and maternal care innovations, including mDoc, LifeBank, Smile for Mothers, FORMom, and Project AISHA, while stressing the need for increased financing and digital integration to eliminate preventable maternal deaths.
At the close of the roundtable, stakeholders committed to developing bank-supported financing frameworks, strengthening digital infrastructure, and aligning strategies to expand health insurance access and accelerate NDHI rollout in Kaduna State.
KADCHMA Director-General, Hassan Abubakar, noted that over two million residents are already enrolled under the state’s financial inclusion law, providing a strong platform for digital health insurance expansion.
“Today’s engagement is about leveraging technology so that people can access health insurance wherever they are. This will expand coverage and reduce barriers to affordable care,” he said.
The Office of the Deputy Governor, represented by Special Adviser on NGOs, Mukhtar Zubairu, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to stronger partnerships for improved health outcomes.
Participants, including representatives from Zenith Bank, Wema Bank, Polaris Bank, and the Central Bank of Nigeria, discussed financing models to support primary healthcare delivery and boost insurance enrolment in Kaduna and beyond.
