Nigeria's NHIA adopts Health Technology Assessment to optimize healthcare spending

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has adopted Health Technology Assessment (HTA) to manage healthcare spending and resource allocation in Nigeria. The initiative aims to ensure that limited resources are directed toward interventions that provide the greatest value as the country works toward Universal Health Coverage.

During the inauguration of the HTA Steering Committee in Abuja, NHIA Director-General Dr. Kelechi Ohiri explained that HTA provides an evidence-based, multidisciplinary methodology to assess the clinical and economic value of health technologies. This framework will guide decisions regarding healthcare coverage, reimbursement, pricing, and benefit package design.

The system is part of broader strategic purchasing reforms intended to help the NHIA decide what healthcare to purchase, for whom, and at what price. To support this, the NHIA established a Strategic Purchasing Department and a dedicated HTA Division in 2025.