Financial risk protection and Nigeria’s journey towards universal health coverage

Abstract

Financial risk protection is essential to the attainment of universal health coverage in Nigeria. Using narrative synthesis, this paper shows how ineffective implementation of health financing mechanisms birth unfavourable financial risk outcomes. It is imperative that focus shifts from pooled payment systems to tax-based funding for health in Nigeria’s informal sector driven economy. Meanwhile, political will must be mobilized to optimize the social health insurance program’s protective effects from financial risk.