The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has said it will enforce a one-hour approval policy to speed up treatment authorisations and improve healthcare access for enrollees.
Dr. Chris Okoh, NHIA Zonal Director, said the initiative, supported by Dr. Mary Aliu, NHIA Coordinator in Nasarawa, along with Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs), the Nasarawa State Health Insurance Agency, the Hospital Management Board, and other stakeholders, seeks to enhance service delivery across the country.
He explained that the policy aims to cut waiting times, reduce overcrowding in health facilities, and help Nigeria achieve Universal Health Coverage by 2030.
According to him, the enforcement will follow the implementation that began on April 1, 2025, and was reviewed during a one-day forum held on Tuesday.
The meeting took place in Keffi Local Government Area, Nasarawa State.
Okoh said HMOs must provide approval codes within one hour of receiving treatment requests, while hospitals should escalate any delays to NHIA state offices.
He added that the system operates through email, WhatsApp, portals, and SMS and forms part of broader reforms that include free emergency maternal and neonatal care and a fistula programme for women with post-delivery complications.