Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN) has called for stronger private sector innovation as a critical pathway to improving quality, affordability, and access in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

The President of HFN, Mrs Njide Ndili, who made the call during a press briefing held in Lagos ahead of the HFN 4th Annual Conference, next month, said that Nigeria’s healthcare system cannot deliver quality care for all without the active participation of the private sector.

She highlighted that private healthcare providers, manufacturers, distributors, insurers, and innovators already contribute a substantial share of services nationwide.

Ndili explained that HFN’s mandate is to ensure that private sector contributions are meaningfully integrated into policy, financing, and health system reforms in support of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). “We have been promoting and advocating for private sector inclusion in the healthcare delivery system, and the Healthcare Federation has been at the forefront,” she said.

She noted that over the years, the organisation has secured private sector representation on key national health committees and supported reforms in healthcare financing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, customs processes, and quality regulation. Ndili further revealed that the federation had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government and was included in the UHC compact signed by all 36 state governors, giving the private sector a defined role in national healthcare reforms.

Highlighting the need for local ownership in healthcare progress, Ndili said the reduction in overseas assistance has increased the responsibility of domestic stakeholders. She added that the 2026 conference, themed “Transforming Healthcare: Leveraging Private Sector Innovation to Achieve Quality Outcomes and Universal Health Coverage,” would focus on aligning policy, financing, and investment with real system needs.

A major highlight of the event, she said, would be the launch of the Nigeria Private Health Sector Outlook 2026, developed in partnership with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and the Presidential Initiative on Unlocking Healthcare Value Chains.

Speaking at the briefing, HFN Executive Secretary Mr Olufemi Akingbade described the upcoming conference as timely for improving the country’s healthcare system. He said the federation continues to push for deeper collaboration between government and private providers, particularly in the areas of financing and system integration.

Chair of the Conference Planning Committee and CEO of Infinity Health, Mrs Irene Nwaukwa, described the conference as an engagement platform rather than a routine event. She noted that nearly 70 per cent of healthcare delivery in Nigeria is managed by the private sector and stressed the importance of structured collaboration.

Nwaukwa added that participants would have the opportunity to directly engage policymakers, ask critical questions, and demand timelines for the implementation of policies discussed during the event.

She also emphasised that fragmentation within the sector remains a major challenge.