The National Health Insurance Authority has announced the expansion of its Basic Healthcare Provision Fund to cover 8 million additional Nigerians in 15 states that were previously outside the programme, in the most significant extension of free healthcare access in Nigeria's history.

The expanded coverage takes effect July 1 and will provide free outpatient consultations, essential medicines, maternal and child health services, and basic diagnostic testing at over 4,200 primary healthcare centres across the newly included states.