The Federal Government says deductions made from the October 2025 salaries of civil servants were due to the commencement of statutory contributions to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

In a circular seen by The PUNCH in Abuja, the government explained that the mandatory NHIS deductions began in October, leading to the reduction noticed across Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

The circular was titled, ‘Implementation of Statutory Deduction for the National Health Insurance Scheme’.

The clarification followed widespread complaints by federal workers on social media over unexplained salary cuts ranging from N1,000 to N2,000.

“The Federal Government wishes to inform all federal public servants that the implementation of statutory deduction for the National Health Insurance Scheme has commenced with effect from October 2025,” the circular stated.

“Accordingly, a mandatory NHIS contribution has been deducted from every federal government employee’s monthly salary beginning from the month of October. This adjustment accounts for the observed reduction in the October 2025 salary across MDAs.”

The NHIS is a social health insurance programme aimed at providing financial risk protection and access to quality healthcare for Nigerians.

In 2022, the Federal Government mandated all employers and employees in the public, private and informal sectors to obtain health insurance after former President Muhammadu Buhari signed the National Health Insurance Authority Bill, 2021, into law.

During debate in the National Assembly, the sponsor of the bill and former senator representing Kwara Central (2019–2023), Dr. Yahaya Oloriegbe, said the law would establish a “robust, affordable and sustainable financial mechanism for health” and enhance Nigeria’s pursuit of Universal Health Coverage by 2030.

The government maintains that the NHIS will benefit workers by improving access to affordable and quality healthcare, reducing their out-of-pocket medical expenses.

It added that the scheme already covers about 99 per cent of federal employees.

Last week, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, noted that the government had expanded the national health insurance coverage from 20 million to 60 million Nigerians. (The PUNCH)