Enugu Govt, Ani Launch NIN Drive In Enugu South

The Enugu State Government says it will bear the cost of National Identification Number (NIN) registration for residents for seven days, from Oct. 1 to Oct. 7, 2026, to enable indigent and vulnerable citizens access free healthcare and other government benefits.

The Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr Malachy Agbo, announced this on Friday during a sensitisation and awareness visit to Enugu South Local Government Area (LGA), held at the council headquarters in Uwani, Enugu.

Agbo said the initiative was approved by Gov. Peter Mbah as part of efforts to drive massive NIN registration and enrolment in the National Health Insurance Scheme across the state’s 17 LGAs.

He said possession of a NIN was a prerequisite for accessing the Federal Government’s Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and free healthcare services under the programme.

According to him, the beneficiaries include children aged zero to five years, elderly citizens aged 65 years and above, pregnant women, persons living with disabilities and people living in abject poverty.

“The Governor’s wish is for all Enugu citizens to acquire their NIN.

“To this end, officials have been designated in every political ward and primary health centre to facilitate enrolment into the National Health Scheme,” Agbo said.

He said the sensitisation campaign was being taken to all 17 LGAs to ensure that a large number of indigent residents benefited from government programmes and other democratic dividends.

Agbo also congratulated the Executive Chairman of Enugu South LGA, Dr Caleb Onyema Ani, on his re-election, describing his return to office as a reflection of his performance during his first tenure.

He said Ani “deserved to return” based on his record of service to the people.

Representing the Secretary of the Enugu State Agency for Universal Health Coverage (ENS-UHC), Chiamaka Okoye, said the sensitisation campaign became necessary because of the state’s low level of enrolment in the national health insurance programme.

Okoye said Enugu was currently rated last in the South-East and fourth from the bottom nationally among states benefiting from the National Health Insurance Scheme and the BHCPF.

“We are here to change this narrative. Unlike the first phase (0.1), this second phase (0.2) of the programme mandates that every beneficiary must possess a NIN to access the fund and the health insurance scheme,” she said.

She urged residents to take advantage of the window provided by the state government to register for NIN and enrol in the health insurance scheme.

Okoye also clarified that access to the scheme was not limited to primary healthcare or the vulnerable categories listed by the government.

She said both primary and secondary healthcare services were available, adding that other residents could also participate by paying an annual token of N12,000.

During an interactive session, the councillor representing Ward 7, Hon. Emefesi Chijioke, raised concerns about the financial implications of correcting errors in NIN registration data.

Chief Christian Igwe, Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Enugu South Chapter, also recounted his experience of spending a substantial amount to correct wrong information entered during the registration of one of his children.

Igwe appealed to the government to ensure that officials handling the exercise were attentive and careful to minimise errors.

Responding to the concerns, Agbo urged residents to carefully verify their personal information before it was submitted and printed.

“Anybody registering should be careful not to make mistakes with the data given to the NIN officials. People should recheck the data keyed into the computer before sending and printing,” he said.

Agbo explained that charges for correcting NIN data were not determined by the Ministry of Information but were the statutory responsibility of NIN officials to disclose to applicants.

He advised residents to prioritise accuracy during registration to avoid unnecessary financial burdens.

Earlier, the Executive Chairman of Enugu South LGA, Dr Caleb Ani, expressed gratitude to Gov. Mbah and Agbo for taking the sensitisation campaign to the council.

Ani said the local government had already commenced its own NIN and health insurance sensitisation and enrolment campaign before the state government’s intervention.

“We are delighted and deeply appreciative of this visit. As a Local Government, we did not wait; we have already started this programme on our own because we understand that health is wealth and that without identity, our people cannot access federal benefits. Your coming today is a massive boost to what we have been doing,” he said.

The chairman said the governor’s decision to foot the NIN registration bill for seven days would greatly accelerate the enrolment drive.

He pledged the cooperation of the council, traditional institutions, town unions and ward councillors to ensure that no eligible resident was excluded.

“This is what inclusive governance looks like. Governor Mbah has shown that he is a Governor for all, both the rich and the poor. On behalf of the good people of Enugu South, I pledge our full support.

“We will mobilize our people from ward to ward, from community to community, to ensure massive enrollment. We will work hand-in-hand with your officials,” Ani said.

The sensitisation team comprised officials of the Enugu State Ministry of Information and Communication, Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) and ENS-UHC.

The delegation was received at the council headquarters by Ani, his deputy, Hon. Anthony Egbo, Council Secretary, Barr. Kenneth Inyama, traditional rulers, ward councillors and other stakeholders.

Enugu South LG Media