The Kogi State Health Insurance Agency (KGSHIA) is stepping up efforts to enroll more residents in its ₦15,000-a-year health insurance plan, particularly those working outside the formal sector.
The renewed campaign follows a performance review meeting with the agency’s frontline marketers, who have been tasked with taking the scheme directly to communities, markets, workplaces and other grassroots locations across the state.
But who exactly is eligible for the plan?
The short answer
The ₦15,000 health insurance plan is open to Kogi State residents who are not covered under the state’s formal sector health insurance scheme.
According to the Executive Secretary of KGSHIA, Dr Adekunle Aledare, the agency wants to correct the misconception that state health insurance is meant only for civil servants.
Instead, the scheme is designed to ensure that every resident, regardless of employment status or income level, can access affordable healthcare.
Who can enroll?
The plan targets people working in the informal economy, including:
- Traders
- Artisans
- Farmers
- Transport operators
- Craftsmen
- Self-employed professionals
- Members of market associations
- Cooperative societies
- Religious organisations
- Other residents outside the formal workforce
The agency also encourages families, community associations and organised groups to enroll under the scheme. KGSHIA’s Vital Contributory Health Insurance Plan (VITALCHIP) is available to individuals, families and groups at an annual premium of ₦15,000 per enrollee.
How much does it cost?
Subscribers pay an annual premium of ₦15,000.
In return, they are entitled to healthcare services throughout the year at KGSHIA-accredited public and private health facilities across Kogi State’s 21 local government areas. The agency says enrollees under the VITALCHIP plan make a 10 per cent co-payment when receiving covered services.
What healthcare does the plan cover?
While the agency has not released a fresh breakdown alongside its latest enrollment drive, KGSHIA says its benefit package includes access to consultations, emergency care, medicines and other healthcare services provided through its network of accredited facilities. Residents can download the full benefit package from the agency’s website before enrolling.
Why is the government expanding enrollment?
Many Nigerians still pay for healthcare directly from their pockets, often forcing families to delay treatment or incur significant expenses during medical emergencies.
KGSHIA says expanding enrollment among informal sector workers is part of the state’s broader effort to achieve Universal Health Coverage by ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent residents from accessing quality healthcare. The agency was established in 2019 to provide affordable health insurance to all residents of the state.
How can residents enroll?
The agency says residents can enroll through its community marketers or contact KGSHIA directly. Applicants can also choose from the agency’s accredited healthcare providers across the state as part of the enrollment process. More information, including enrollment channels and accredited facilities, is available on the KGSHIA website.
The bottom line
Kogi’s ₦15,000 health insurance plan is no longer being promoted solely as a programme for government workers. It is aimed at the millions of residents in the informal sector—from traders and artisans to farmers and transport workers—who often have no health insurance. By widening enrollment, the state hopes to reduce the financial burden of medical care and move closer to universal health coverage.
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