The Federal Government has directed app-based transport, food delivery, and logistics companies, including Bolt and Uber, to provide health insurance coverage for their workers in line with Nigeria’s compulsory health insurance policy.
The directive was issued by the National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA, following the September 2025 Presidential Mandate on mandatory health insurance for all Nigerians and legal residents.
According to the NHIA, digital platform operators must now show evidence of health insurance coverage for drivers, dispatch riders, and other independent workers before obtaining operational licences and regulatory approvals.
The agency warned that failure to comply with the provisions of the NHIA Act 2022 would amount to a violation of federal law.
The new policy is expected to strengthen social protection for thousands of Nigerians working in the country’s rapidly growing gig economy, many of whom currently operate without formal healthcare coverage or employment benefits.
Experts say the move could improve access to healthcare, workplace welfare, and financial protection for digital workers exposed to daily occupational risks.
President of the African Forum for Restorative Justice, Professor John Omale, described the initiative as a major step toward protecting self-employed and informal workers in Nigeria’s digital economy.
He explained that the programme encourages collaboration between regulators and platform operators to improve workers’ welfare through shared responsibility rather than punitive measures alone.
The pilot phase of the initiative is expected to focus on agreements between government agencies and digital companies aimed at expanding corporate social responsibility and long-term social protection for workers across the sector.
