EFCC Begins Exercise To Recover Missing N27 Billion In Govt Agency, Heritage Bank For NHIS

The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is making efforts to recover some missing funds estimated at about N27 billion, its Executive Secretary, Prof. Mohammed Sambo, has said.

While expressing optimism that the NHIS Amendment Bill pending before the National Assembly for passage would change the face of health insurance in the country, he said a review of the NHIS Act would allow the agency to enroll more Nigerians.

He stated these in the progress report of the NHIS which he presented after a management meeting in Kaduna, but obtained by journalists in Abuja on Sunday.

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Sambo said, “We have about N11 billion trapped in the Federation Account since 2014. We have been meeting with the Minister of Finance to see how to get it back. Also, we have been pursuing another N10 billion lodged in Heritage Bank and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been helping us to recover it.

“When there was COVID-19, N6 billion was taken from the NHIS account without notice. So, we are working on recovering those resources and we have agreed at the level of management that a proportion of the money recovered will be put on strategic investment.”

The NHIS CEO also spoke on the progress made in improving the subscription for the insurance scheme, saying over 10 million Nigerians had now subscribed for it.

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According to him, while about 10,269,996 enrolled into the scheme as of last Friday, the NHIS has been able to save money from its cost-saving reforms.

Sambo said, “The population of Nigerians that have enrolled in the health insurance scheme has risen to 10,269,996 from 6 million earlier reported by the National Demographic Health Survey.”