NHIA orders health insurance for gig workers

From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has directed all food delivery, app-based transport and logistics platforms operating in Nigeria to ensure that independent contractors and self-employed persons working on their platforms have access to health insurance coverage. The directive, issued in line with the September 2025 presidential mandate on compulsory health insurance, is aimed at enforcing compliance with the provisions of the NHIA Act 2022, which makes health insurance mandatory for all Nigerians and legal residents.

In a notice addressed to app-based transport and logistics operators, the NHIA said compliance with health insurance requirements would form part of conditions for obtaining licenses, permits and higher-level approvals.

The Authority warned that failure to provide health insurance coverage for workers and enrollees amounts to a violation of the NHIA Act 2022.

According to the directive signed by the Director of the Formal Sector Department for the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Ajodi N.N., the move is designed to strengthen social protection for workers operating within Nigeria’s growing digital and gig economy.

The development comes amid increasing advocacy for improved welfare and labour protections for digital platform workers, many of whom operate as independent contractors and are excluded from traditional social protection schemes.

Speaking on the initiative, President of the African Forum for Restorative Justice (AFRJ), Prof. John Omale, said the Digital Labour Worker Initiative seeks to expand social protection coverage to workers in the food delivery, app-based transport and logistics sectors.

He explained that the initiative, funded by the Balzan Foundation, adapts restorative justice principles to labour and industrial relations while aligning with international standards, including the International Labour Organisation Recommendation No. 198, the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Omale noted that the current labour framework in Nigeria does not adequately protect self-employed and informal workers engaged on digital platforms.

According to him, the initiative promotes a “shared responsibility model” that encourages platforms, regulators and communities to work together to create a more humane working environment without resorting to punitive measures.

He added that government institutions, including the NHIA, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, National Pension Commission, Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, are expected to collaborate on enforcement through joint compliance mechanisms and stakeholder engagements.

According to him, the pilot phase of the initiative will focus on developing Memoranda of Understanding between regulators and digital platforms to facilitate implementation of corporate social responsibility measures and social protection policies for platform workers.

The AFRJ president stressed that cooperation between regulators and digital platforms would help shape future labour legislation while protecting the interests of all stakeholders within Nigeria’s digital economy.

The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has also been playing a critical role in bringing social actors together to begin implementation of the policy framework by June 1, 2026.

However, technical discussions are ongoing to ensure that the policy framework is kickstarted as scheduled.