Nigeria bets on digital health as hospitals fall behind demand

Nigeria is shifting its healthcare strategy from relying mainly on building more hospitals to utilizing digital technology to expand access to quality healthcare, as the country grapples with a shortage of medical professionals, limited funding, and a growing demand for health services.

Kelechi Ohiri, director-general and chief executive officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), said digital health has become a necessity, arguing that Nigeria cannot build enough hospitals or train enough doctors quickly enough to meet the healthcare needs of its rapidly growing population.

Ohiri disclosed this while speaking during a panel session, titled “Technology, Well-being, and the Workforce,” at the BusinessDay 2026 CEO Forum.

While Artificial Intelligence (AI) is attracting global attention, the CEO said Nigeria’s immediate priority should be building a strong digital health ecosystem that allows healthcare providers to reach more people with existing resources.

“A lot of times we think AI is the solution, but it is not. It will take us much longer to build enough hospitals, train enough doctors and nurses, and provide enough resources to meet Nigeria’s healthcare needs. Digital technology gives us an opportunity to leapfrog some of these challenges,” Ohiri said.

His remarks come at a time when Nigeria faces one of the world’s largest healthcare workforce shortages, worsened by the migration of doctors and nurses to countries offering better pay and working conditions. At the same time, government health spending remains under pressure following cuts in international donor funding.

Ohiri said Nigeria must use digital tools to make healthcare more efficient, accessible, and affordable.

He explained that one of the NHIA’s priorities is creating a system where patients’ medical records can be securely accessed across hospitals, allowing doctors to make faster and better treatment decisions regardless of where patients receive care.

“We have to invest in mobile technology, the internet and digital platforms so that when a patient arrives at a hospital, healthcare workers can immediately access the person’s medical history,” he said.

According to him, the federal government is already working to integrate health data across institutions through a new national digital health initiative that brings together agencies responsible for health insurance, public health, identity management and digital infrastructure.

He said the integration will improve service delivery, reduce duplication, strengthen data sharing and help tackle fraud within the healthcare system.

Ohiri also revealed that the NHIA is working closely with the Federal Ministry responsible for the digital economy and other government agencies to ensure health records, national identity systems and digital payment platforms operate seamlessly.

Integrated digital health systems can significantly reduce waiting times, improve patient outcomes and lower healthcare costs by eliminating duplicated tests and paperwork.

The NHIA boss stressed that digital transformation must move beyond pilot projects.

According to him, Nigeria has spent years testing small-scale health innovations, but the country now needs nationwide implementation backed by long-term government policy.

“We are moving away from pilots. This is no longer about testing ideas. It is about building a health system that works for every Nigerian,” he said.

Ohiri pointed to several ongoing national programmes as evidence that the government is already scaling healthcare interventions.

He disclosed that about 22 million Nigerians are currently covered by health insurance, while government-supported programmes have expanded financial protection for vulnerable groups.

He said more than 50,000 women received life-saving maternal healthcare last year through government-funded health insurance support delivered across about 300 hospitals nationwide.

According to him, the federal government has also provided funding to cushion the impact of declining international health assistance, ensuring that critical health programmes continue despite reductions in external donor support.

The NHIA chief said achieving universal health coverage will require stronger collaboration between government institutions, technology companies, digital health providers and healthcare professionals.

He added that regulation must also evolve to encourage innovation while maintaining quality standards for patients.

“Our challenge is how to use the right combination of incentives and regulation to shape the healthcare market so that innovation benefits everyone,” he said.

Analysts believe the NHIA’s strategy reflects a broader policy shift in Nigeria’s healthcare sector, from expanding physical infrastructure alone to building a digitally connected health system capable of reaching millions more people.

Experts said integrated digital health services could improve healthcare access in underserved communities, strengthen disease surveillance, reduce fraud and help Nigeria deliver universal health coverage more quickly despite limited financial and human resources, if successfully implemented.