FG adopts new system to curb waste in healthcare spending

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has implemented Health Technology Assessment (HTA) as a tool to improve healthcare spending and ensure limited resources are directed to interventions with greater value for Nigerians. Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, Director-General of NHIA, highlighted this during the inauguration of the HTA Steering Committee and official flag-off of HTA in Nigeria.

HTA provides evidence-based methodologies to guide decisions on healthcare coverage, reimbursement, pricing, and resource allocation. The NHIA has been strengthening its HTA capacity since 2025, establishing a Strategic Purchasing Department and a dedicated HTA Division. They have developed an HTA Framework, Reference Case, Process Guidelines, and other operational documents to institutionalize HTA.

The Authority has invested in local capacity, with students receiving postgraduate HTA training in Bangkok. To test its framework, the NHIA conducted pilot HTA assessments on kidney replacement therapy, colorectal cancer screening, and sorafenib for advanced liver cancer. The inauguration marks a transition from developing the NHIA's internal HTA capacity to establishing a coordinated national HTA system.

The Steering Committee will oversee transparent prioritization of HTA topics, strengthen methodological quality, and promote stakeholder engagement. The development aligns with broader health financing reforms aimed at expanding health insurance coverage and improving resource efficiency. The ultimate measure of HTA institutionalization will be its impact on healthcare resource decisions, with the goal of making evidence a routine input into priority-setting and strategic purchasing.