By Uloma Peace Okorie
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, Grace Ike, has recorded a landmark achievement in journalists’ welfare with the launch of a health insurance scheme that is already transforming healthcare access for media professionals in the nation’s capital.
The initiative, unveiled in Abuja, has so far enrolled more than 150 journalists in the Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS), with plans underway to expand coverage to hundreds more.
The scheme is widely seen as one of the most impactful welfare interventions in the history of the NUJ FCT Council and fulfils a major campaign promise made by Ike to prioritise the wellbeing of journalists.
Speaking at the official launch during the NUJ FCT Congress, Ike described the programme as a historic milestone that places the health and welfare of journalists at the forefront of union priorities.
“Today marks a historic moment for the Nigeria Union of Journalists, FCT Council,” she said. “For the first time in the history of our council, we are flagging off a health insurance initiative specifically designed to support the welfare and wellbeing of journalists in the Federal Capital Territory.”
According to Ike, journalists play a critical role in society by amplifying the voices of citizens and highlighting issues affecting the public, yet their own welfare is often overlooked.
She stressed that the new health insurance scheme would help reduce the financial burden of healthcare for journalists while encouraging them to prioritise their health.
The NUJ FCT Chairman also expressed deep appreciation to the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Adedolapo Fasawe, for providing 150 free health insurance slots for NUJ members.
She described the gesture as a demonstration of compassion and commitment to improving healthcare access for journalists.
“Our sincere gratitude also goes to the Permanent Secretary, Babagana Adam, who personally pledged to sponsor 50 additional journalists in memory of his late brother, Mohammed Alkali,” Ike added.
She also acknowledged the support of Akin Rotimi Jr., Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Information, whose intervention helped catalyse the programme.
With the combined contributions, about 200 journalists are already benefiting from health insurance coverage, marking a significant shift toward improving the welfare of media practitioners in the territory.
In her remarks, Fasawe emphasised the importance of universal health coverage and called on philanthropists, political leaders, religious figures and business executives to support journalists by sponsoring health insurance for them.
“Basic healthcare is not a luxury; it is a necessity,” she said. “Health is a collective responsibility and it must be achievable, affordable and accessible to all.”
She further announced an additional 50 health insurance slots for journalists, noting that the number of beneficiaries now represents about 65 percent of NUJ members in the FCT.
Fasawe also highlighted the commitment of the FCT Administration under the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to strengthening healthcare services and reducing maternal and child mortality.
“In the FCT, our minister has declared absolutely zero tolerance for maternal mortality. There is no reason a woman should labour in vain,” she said.
She revealed that pregnant women in the FCT, particularly vulnerable ones, can access free antenatal care and delivery services—including caesarean sections—at primary healthcare centres across the territory.
Encouraging wider participation in the scheme, Fasawe urged individuals and organisations to sponsor journalists’ health insurance.
“Buy health insurance for a journalist today and your voice will be heard loud and clear, because you are supporting those who tell your stories to the public,” she said.
Providing an overview of the programme’s progress, she disclosed that about 480 out of the estimated 800 journalists in the FCT have now been captured under the health insurance scheme, expressing confidence that the figure would soon reach full coverage.
Capping the event, the National President of the NUJ, Alhassan Yahya, described the initiative as a critical intervention that addresses a long-standing gap in journalists’ welfare.
According to him, studies show that less than one percent of Nigerian journalists currently have any form of health insurance.
“Insurance is critical to our job. Through insurance we can reduce maternal deaths, drastically cut out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, and move closer to achieving universal health coverage,” Yahya said.
He commended the leadership of Grace Ike and the NUJ FCT Council for championing a programme he described as visionary and worthy of emulation across the country.
With over 450 journalists present at the congress where the programme was launched, the initiative has been hailed as a transformative step toward protecting the health of media professionals while strengthening the foundation of responsible journalism in Nigeria.