FG begins deductions from workers salaries
The Federal Government has started deducting health insurance contributions from the salaries of civil servants following the official implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
The deductions began with the October 2025 salaries of federal workers across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
According to a government circular issued in Abuja, the deductions represent the mandatory contributions for NHIS coverage, which aims to provide civil servants with access to affordable and quality healthcare services.
The move comes after widespread complaints from workers who noticed a reduction of about N1,000 to N2,000 in their October salaries.
The government clarified that the deductions were not arbitrary but part of the compulsory health insurance policy now in effect for all employees under federal payroll.
The NHIS, introduced to reduce the financial burden of healthcare on Nigerians, was strengthened after the signing of the National Health Insurance Authority Bill in 2022.
The law requires all employers and workers in both public and private sectors to enroll in a health insurance plan to achieve universal health coverage by 2030.
The government said the scheme currently covers about 99 percent of federal employees and is designed to lower out-of-pocket medical expenses while improving access to medical services.
It also announced that national health insurance coverage has expanded from 20 million to 60 million Nigerians through the recent policy reforms.
