…as Nigeria’s health insurance expands

By Nnasom David

Healthcare strategist Lucky Ilodigwe has called for the urgent development of a dedicated elderly-care framework within Nigeria’s health insurance system, warning that the country must prepare early for an ageing population.

Ilodigwe said Nigeria should establish a specific healthcare package for citizens aged 60 and above under the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), as part of ongoing reforms to strengthen healthcare financing.

He argued that the country’s current reforms—while improving coverage and expanding enrolment—do not yet address the growing burden of chronic diseases among older Nigerians.

According to him, Nigeria’s health system must shift from reactive treatment to structured long-term care management, especially as cases of hypertension, diabetes, stroke and dementia continue to rise in major hospitals such as the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and University College Hospital, Ibadan.

Ilodigwe also urged the government to introduce capitated payment models for elderly care, where health providers are paid a fixed amount per patient to encourage preventive and continuous care rather than episodic treatment.

He further recommended that Nigeria adopt a quality-based rating system for health maintenance organisations and providers, tied to measurable outcomes such as disease control, medication adherence and patient experience.

The health strategist also called for public reporting of healthcare quality indicators, stronger segmentation of elderly patients based on medical needs, and the expansion of community-based care models to reduce pressure on hospitals.

Ilodigwe cautioned against replicating the complexity of the United States healthcare system, urging Nigeria to prioritise simplicity, automatic enrolment structures, and affordable long-term care financing.

He said Nigeria still has a window of opportunity to design a sustainable elderly-care system before demographic pressures intensify, adding that current health reforms provide a foundation for such expansion.