By The Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Agency (AKSHIA) has been named the Fastest Growing Agency in Health Care Coverage for 2025 by the Institute of Health Insurance and Managed Care, in a major nod to its efforts in pushing toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nigeria.
The award was presented at a high-profile ceremony in Abuja, where key players in Nigeria’s health sector gathered to celebrate milestones in health insurance expansion.
“The establishment of State Health Insurance Schemes is one of the most promising developments in our healthcare ecosystem,” said Dr. Hope Uweja, Chairman of the Institute. “They are paving the way to UHC in Nigeria.”
Receiving the award, AKSHIA’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Arthur Igbemi, said the honor reflects the agency’s drive to make healthcare affordable and accessible across Akwa Ibom. He credited the rapid success to Governor Umo Eno’s visionary leadership.
AKSHIA’s flagship programme, ARISECare, has already enrolled over 47,000 residents since its launch in September 2024 and aims to cover 200,000 individuals, including civil servants and their families, by the end of 2025.
“This achievement would not have been possible without the Governor’s vision,” Igbemi said. “He is committed to ensuring that even rural dwellers can access quality care while staying close to home, farming, and earning a living.”
Igbemi also highlighted critical infrastructure projects in the pipeline, including a new Medical City, Emergency Services Unit, and a model Primary Healthcare Centre, some of which have already been commissioned by Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.
Chairman of the AKSHIA Governing Board, Dr. Edikan Ekwere, expressed pride in the national spotlight: “To receive this recognition just six months after launching our programme shows the impact we’re making. This is a government initiative that cuts across every layer of society in Akwa Ibom.”
Permanent Secretary of the Akwa Ibom Liaison Office in Abuja, Mr. Aniekan Akpan, also commended the state government for its proactive stance on health care reform.
AKSHIA’s rapid progress offers a promising blueprint for other states as Nigeria intensifies efforts to achieve universal health coverage.
