The Federal Government has intensified plans to integrate a secure digital identity system into Nigeria’s healthcare sector as part of broader reforms designed to improve service delivery, expand access to health insurance, and achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.
This was disclosed in a statement released on Saturday through the official X handle of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare following a high-level meeting between the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, and the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote.
The discussions centred on leveraging the newly signed National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, 2025, to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system through the use of trusted digital identity infrastructure.
Professor Pate described the new legislation as a significant step forward in building a secure and reliable digital identity framework capable of supporting national development. He noted that the law aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and lays the foundation for accelerating digital transformation across the healthcare sector.
According to the minister, digital innovation has become a key pillar of the government’s health sector reforms. He explained that integrating digital identity into healthcare would improve governance, enhance health security, streamline service delivery, and strengthen the overall healthcare value chain.
Pate stated that a trusted digital identity system would make it easier to accurately identify patients, improve continuity of care, facilitate the use of interoperable electronic medical records, strengthen disease surveillance, and support evidence-based planning through reliable health data.
He added that the initiative would also simplify enrolment and verification processes under the National Health Insurance programme, thereby expanding financial protection for millions of Nigerians and supporting the country’s goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage by 2030.
Highlighting the scale of healthcare services across the country, the minister disclosed that revitalised Primary Healthcare Centres now record approximately 45 million patient visits every quarter. He said introducing a trusted digital identity system would improve operational efficiency while ensuring the privacy and security of citizens’ personal information.
To ensure effective implementation, Pate directed the immediate establishment of a joint technical working group comprising representatives 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 will oversee implementation, monitor progress, coordinate activities among stakeholders, and develop performance dashboards to support data-driven decision-making across the health sector.
The minister also emphasised that the digital identity initiative must be inclusive, ensuring that persons living with disabilities and other vulnerable populations have equal access to the benefits of Nigeria’s ongoing digital and healthcare transformation.
Speaking during the meeting, NIMC Director-General Abisoye Coker-Odusote said the recently enacted NIMC Act provides the legal framework needed to deliver secure digital authentication, seamless interoperability, and trusted digital services across public institutions.
She reaffirmed the commission’s readiness to collaborate closely with the Ministry of Health in providing the digital identity infrastructure required to support the successful implementation of healthcare reforms nationwide.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare noted that the partnership demonstrates the government’s coordinated approach to reform, recognising digital identity as a critical tool for delivering efficient, transparent, and citizen-focused healthcare services.
The ministry expressed confidence that deeper integration of digital technology into the healthcare system would create a more connected, resilient, and efficient health sector capable of providing equitable healthcare services while accelerating Nigeria’s progress toward Universal Health Coverage by 2030.
