NHIA adopts new system to curb healthcare spending waste

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in Nigeria has established a new Health Technology Assessment (HTA) system to improve healthcare spending and ensure resources are allocated to interventions with greater value for Nigerians. The Director-General, Dr Kelechi Ohiri, announced this during the inauguration of the HTA steering committee in October 2025.

HTA will strengthen evidence-based decisions on healthcare coverage, reimbursement, pricing, and resource allocation, aiming towards Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria. The implementation of HTA is part of broader reforms to strengthen the NHIA's strategic purchasing function. The NHIA has developed a comprehensive HTA framework, including a reference case, process guidelines, deliberative processes, committee terms of reference, conflict of interest policies, and stakeholder mapping.

The Authority has also invested in local capacity, with postgraduate training for researchers in Thailand. Three pilot HTA assessments were conducted to test the framework, covering kidney replacement therapy, colorectal cancer screening, and sorafenib for advanced liver cancer. The HTA initiative will be evaluated by its impact on healthcare resource decisions, rather than the number of assessments produced.