A major push to improve the welfare of journalists gathered momentum in Nigeria’s capital as media leaders and government officials called on philanthropists and public office holders to sponsor health insurance for reporters.
The call came as more than 150 journalists were enrolled in the Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Scheme during the launch of a healthcare initiative by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council in Abuja.
The Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Adedolapo Fasawe, used the occasion to urge philanthropists, political leaders, business executives and religious institutions to support journalists by purchasing health insurance coverage for them.
According to her, journalists play a critical role in society by amplifying the voices of citizens and holding institutions accountable, yet many remain without access to 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, is aimed at addressing the long-standing welfare concerns of journalists working in the Federal Capital Territory.
Ike described the launch as a historic turning point for the union, noting that it represents the first structured health insurance programme specifically targeted at journalists in the territory.
“Journalists dedicate their lives to informing the public and shaping national conversations, yet their welfare is often overlooked,” she said. “This initiative is about protecting those who work tirelessly to keep society informed.”
She commended the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Information, Akin Rotimi Jr., for supporting the programme and helping initiate the insurance coverage.
She also praised Fasawe for providing 150 free health insurance slots for NUJ members and acknowledged the support of the Permanent Secretary in the FCT Health Secretariat, Babagana Adam, who pledged to sponsor 50 additional journalists in memory of his late brother.
With these contributions, Ike disclosed that about 200 journalists in the FCT have already secured health insurance coverage under the scheme.
Fasawe further announced an additional 50 insurance slots during the event, pushing the coverage to about 65 per cent of NUJ members in the territory. She revealed that about 480 out of the estimated 800 journalists operating in the FCT are now captured under the health insurance programme.
The health official stressed that expanding insurance coverage aligns with the healthcare reforms being pursued by the FCT Administration under the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
She noted that the administration has adopted a zero-tolerance policy toward maternal mortality and has 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, said the initiative was a critical intervention given the extremely low health insurance coverage among journalists nationwide.
He revealed that studies show less than one per cent of Nigerian journalists currently have any form of health insurance, leaving many vulnerable 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 sustained support from government agencies, private organisations and philanthropists would help extend health insurance coverage to all journalists in the Federal Capital Territory.
