Efforts to improve the welfare of journalists in Nigeria received a boost in Abuja as media leaders and government officials urged philanthropists and public office holders to sponsor health insurance coverage for reporters.
The call was made as more than 150 journalists were enrolled in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Health Insurance Scheme during the launch of a healthcare initiative by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council.
The Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Adedolapo Fasawe, appealed to philanthropists, political leaders, business executives and religious institutions to support journalists by purchasing health insurance for them.
She noted that journalists play a crucial role in society by amplifying citizens’ voices and holding institutions accountable, yet many operate without basic healthcare protection.
“My purpose of coming here today is to ask political office holders, religious leaders and individuals who want their voices to be heard to buy health insurance for a journalist,” she said.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Grace Ike, aims to address long-standing welfare concerns affecting journalists working in the Federal Capital Territory.
Ike described the launch as a historic milestone for the union, noting that it represents the first structured health insurance programme specifically designed for journalists in the territory.
“Journalists dedicate their lives to informing the public and shaping national conversations, yet their welfare is often overlooked. This initiative is about protecting those who work tirelessly to keep society informed,” she said.
She commended the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Information, Akin Rotimi Jr., for supporting the programme and helping to initiate the insurance coverage.
Ike also praised Fasawe for providing 150 free health insurance slots for NUJ members and acknowledged the contribution of the Permanent Secretary in the FCT Health Secretariat, Babagana Adam, who pledged to sponsor an additional 50 journalists in memory of his late brother.
With these contributions, Ike disclosed that about 200 journalists in the FCT had already secured health insurance coverage under the scheme.
Fasawe further announced an additional 50 insurance slots at the event, raising the coverage level to about 65 per cent of NUJ members in the territory. According to her, approximately 480 of the estimated 800 journalists operating in the FCT are now captured under the health insurance programme.
She explained that expanding insurance coverage aligns with ongoing healthcare reforms being implemented by the FCT Administration under the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The Mandate Secretary added that the administration has adopted a zero-tolerance policy toward maternal mortality and expanded access to free antenatal care and delivery services for vulnerable pregnant women across primary healthcare centres in the FCT.
Also speaking, the National President of the NUJ, Alhassan Yahya, described the initiative as a critical intervention, given the extremely low level of health insurance coverage among journalists across the country.
He revealed that studies show less than one per cent of Nigerian journalists currently have any form of health insurance, leaving many exposed to high out-of-pocket medical expenses.
The programme, unveiled during the NUJ FCT Congress attended by more than 450 members, was widely welcomed by journalists who described it as a long-awaited step toward improving the welfare and security of media professionals in the nation’s capital.
Stakeholders at the event expressed optimism that continued support from government agencies, private organisations and philanthropists would help extend health insurance coverage to all journalists in the Federal Capital Territory.
