Abstract
Background: Despite the implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) since 2005 in Nigeria, the
level of health insurance coverage remains low. The study aims to examine the predictors of enrolment in the NHIS
among women of reproductive age in Nigeria.
Methods: Secondary data from the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) were utilized to examine
factors influencing enrolment in the NHIS among women of reproductive age (n=38 948) in Nigeria. Demographic
and socio-economic characteristics of women were determined using univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses.
Data analysis was performed using STATA version 12 software.
Results: We found that 97.9% of women were not covered by health insurance. Multivariate analysis indicated that
factors such as age, education, geo-political zone, socio-economic status (SES), and employment status were significant
predictors of enrolment in the NHIS among women of reproductive age.
Conclusion: This study concludes that health insurance coverage among women of reproductive age in Nigeria is
very low. Additionally, demographic and socio-economic factors were associated with enrolment in the NHIS among
women. Therefore, policy-makers need to establish a tax-based health financing mechanism targeted at women who
are young, uneducated, from poorest households, unemployed and working in the informal sector of the economy.
Extending health insurance coverage to women from poor households and those who work in the informal sector
through a tax-financed non-contributory health insurance scheme would accelerate progress towards universal health
coverage (UHC).