Lagos, Nigeria/Washington, D.C., October 21, 2009 -
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and Nigeria’s National Health Insurance Scheme announced today that they will work together to help extend health insurance to more Nigerians.
IFC and NHIS signed an agreement to develop an information technology system and new business practices to enhance the performance of NHIS and expand health insurance coverage in Nigeria. The partnership will also include a review of laws, regulations, and institutions that govern the health care sector. In addition, IFC and NHIS will devise a strategy to finance improvements.
Mohammed Dogo-Muhammad, NHIS’s CEO and Executive Secretary, said, “NHIS is pleased to partner with IFC on this important initiative to improve efficiency and performance of Nigeria’s health insurance system and ultimately increase access to health care for all — a priority for the Nigerian government.”
Solomon Adegbie-Quaynor, IFC Country Manager for Nigeria, said, “By implementing reforms based on international best practices, IFC and NHIS will help improve Nigeria’s health insurance, ensure its sustainability, and bring health care to Nigerians that need it the most.”
IFC places a high priority on increasing access to health care for people of all income levels and raising standards of quality and efficiency in the sector. This initiative is part of the larger IFC-World Bank strategy to support improvements to health care in Sub-Saharan Africa.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, creates opportunity for people to escape poverty and improve their lives. We foster sustainable economic growth in developing countries by supporting private sector development, mobilizing private capital, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to businesses and governments. Our new investments totaled $15 billion in fiscal 2009, helping channel capital into developing countries during the financial crisis. For more information, visit
www.ifc.org
.
About NHIS
Nigeria’s National Health Insurance Scheme was established in 1999 to regulate and administer social health insurance in Nigeria. NHIS currently covers about 4.5 million people, about three percent of the country’s population. Nigeria’s leadership has identified the scaling-up of NHIS to reach 100 percent coverage by 2015 as a top national priority. For more information, visit
www.nhis.gov.ng
.
