Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has urged Nigerians to prioritize health insurance and tax payments to improve access to quality care, lambasting those who fault the government for medical mishaps without contributing to the system.
The commentary, posted on social media Wednesday, followed public outcry over recent deaths, including that of singer Ifunanya Nwangene from snakebite complications and Arise TV staffer Somtochukwu Maduagwu.
Omokri argued that private hospitals cannot afford to treat uninsured patients for free, warning: “If they treat you without first collecting payment or a financial guarantee, you, as a Nigerian, will NEVER pay them.”
He advocated for enrollment in public or private schemes, stating: “So, if you want access to emergency healthcare in Nigeria, get medical insurance from the National Health Insurance Authority. If you don’t want health insurance from a public insurer, get private medical insurance, which is readily available in Nigeria.”
Challenging demands for world-class services without fiscal input, Omokri queried: “Do you pay tax? Yet you want world-class healthcare. Who will pay for it? Government? From where?”1be0d5
He debunked notions of oil wealth, calculating: “Oh! I hear you say Nigeria is oil-rich? Who told you that lie? Get out your calculator and divide our $36 billion in annual oil and gas income by our 230 million population… Nigeria is not oil-rich. We are oil-poor! And without taxes, our poverty will only increase!”
Omokri contrasted Nigeria with high-tax nations like the US and UK, where rates reach 38 percent, enabling funded healthcare, and urged: “If you love yourself, get health insurance, or put something aside.”
