A new survey has revealed an alarming gap in healthcare awareness among young Nigerians, with 1,556 out of 4,188 respondents stating they had never heard of health insurance before.

The findings were released Thursday in Abuja during the Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Youth Health Financing and Report Launch, organised by the Dean Initiative.

The survey was conducted as part of Dean Initiative’s Youth Health Assets Project and aimed to assess health awareness and access among young people in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

It was funded by the Government of Ireland’s International Development Programme and covered all six area councils in the FCT.

Findings from the survey indicate that many young people are unaware of health insurance and struggle to access primary healthcare services.

The event brought together policymakers, health experts, and stakeholders to discuss sustainable youth health financing solutions.

In his opening remarks, the Executive Director of Dean Initiative, Semiye Michael, highlighted the importance of collaboration and continuous reform in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Mr Michael emphasised the need for partnerships with the government and relevant stakeholders.

“At the same time, we must have the audacity to challenge and interrogate existing systems and policies because there will always be a better way to do things,” he said.

Mr Michael further explained that recent investigations by the organisation had focused on three key areas: the efficiency and accessibility of primary healthcare services, young people’s awareness and usage of these services, and the government’s investment in health insurance for unemployed and vulnerable youth.

He urged stakeholders to explore sustainable funding mechanisms and policy measures to ensure that healthcare is accessible to all young people, regardless of their economic status.

During the discussion, Gafar Alawode, CEO of Development International Governance (DGI) Consult, stressed the need for urgent health financing reforms to improve access for young Nigerians.

Mr Alawode highlighted the critical need to reassess Nigeria’s health financing mechanisms, stressing that the government’s current expenditure on health remains inadequate.

He said: “Nigeria spends roughly $10 per person on health, whereas achieving universal health coverage requires about $86 per person.

“The Abuja Declaration recommends allocating 15 per cent of the national budget to health, yet Nigeria spends below five per cent. Regarding GDP, countries advancing towards universal coverage allocate around five per cent, while Nigeria devotes less than one per cent.”

He also raised concerns over Nigeria’s high out-of-pocket health expenditure, which stands at over 75 per cent, compared to the 20–30 per cent range in countries with stronger financial protection systems.

Despite the low level of health funding, Mr Alawode pointed out inefficiencies in how the available resources are utilised. He cited cases of wasteful spending, ghost workers, and poor accountability in the system.

“In many states, about 70 per cent of health budgets are spent on human resources, yet there are significant inefficiencies,” he noted.

“Investigations have revealed thousands of ghost health workers. In one state, 6,000 ghost workers were discovered out of 13,000 total health workers, meaning nearly half of them did not exist.”

To improve health financing, he proposed several strategies, including increasing the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) from one per cent to two per cent of consolidated revenue, introducing health taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages, and leveraging diaspora remittances.

He also recommended exploring telecommunication taxes and allocating a percentage of the National Social Investment Fund to healthcare.

Mr Alawode urged all policymakers to prioritise health financing reforms to ensure equitable access to quality healthcare services.

Following the discussions, the organisation has put forward key recommendations to address gaps in healthcare access for unemployed and vulnerable youth groups.

The proposals focus on reducing the financial burden of healthcare through a structured policy framework that leverages existing systems such as the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and BHCPF.

Another recommendation is the development of a health finance policy tailored to unemployed and vulnerable youths, allowing them to access NHIS and BHCPF with subsidised or no-cost premiums.

It also emphasised strengthening public awareness campaigns through social media and community-based initiatives to educate young people on health insurance and preventive care.

It recommended reforming service delivery within PHCs by training healthcare providers in youth-friendly approaches, with incentives for medical personnel and feedback mechanisms for improved service quality.

The organisation stressed the importance of conducting a comprehensive gender and vulnerability assessment to understand the specific challenges young men and women face.

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Dean Initiative is a Nigerian non-governmental organisation focused on education, governance, democracy, and climate resilience.

It works to promote citizen engagement, policy advocacy, and sustainable development.

The organisation runs programs on open governance, electoral reforms, and climate education while integrating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into educational systems.