FG, NHIA, Others Convene Health Financing Forum to Deepen Local Research

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, alongside the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and various partners, convened the inaugural Nigeria Health Financing Research & Learning Forum. The two-day event, held from September 28 to 29, aimed to deepen locally generated evidence for health financing decisions and strengthen Nigeria's capacity to define its own research priorities.

The forum, themed "Evidence and Learning for Nigeria’s Health Financing Future: Building a Locally Led Research and Learning Ecosystem," targeted policymakers, researchers, healthcare practitioners, and development partners. Its goal was to examine how locally generated evidence could better shape health financing policies and improve healthcare outcomes.

NHIA's efforts to institutionalise evidence-based decision-making have gained momentum, with the establishment of a Strategic Purchasing Department and a Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Division in 2025. The Authority has developed HTA tools and processes, strengthened technical capacity, and generated local evidence through the Nigerian EQ-5D-5L valuation study. It also conducted pilot assessments on kidney replacement therapy, colorectal cancer screening, and sorafenib for advanced liver cancer.

The forum aimed to not only generate research but also strengthen the link between evidence, policymaking, implementation, and measurable results. Key speakers included Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, NHIA Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, and prominent health financing experts like Professor Chima Onoka and Professor Tanimola Akande.

The gathering sought a sustainable, locally led research and learning ecosystem that would strengthen Nigerian institutions and researchers while ensuring research priorities were driven by the country's health challenges and policy needs.