Uncapping of Health Levy Drives NHIS Revenue to Record GH¢9.76 Billion
Ghana’s National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has recorded a sharp rise in revenue to GH¢9.76 billion in 2025, following the government’s decision to uncap the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL) — a move that health officials have described as a turning point in the country’s efforts to strengthen public healthcare financing.
Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, speaking during the Government Accountability Series on July 18, said the uncapping directive issued by President John Mahama earlier this year has led to a GH¢3.26 billion increase in budgetary allocation to the NHIA compared to 2024, when receipts were limited to GH¢6.52 billion.
“This additional funding is a game-changer, enabling the NHIS to expand coverage, enhance benefits, and strengthen Ghana’s progress towards achieving universal health coverage,” Mr Akandoh said, framing the reform as central to the administration’s social protection agenda.
The enhanced funding is already being channelled toward frontline services, with claims payments accounting for 65% of NHIA allocations in 2025, up from 56.2% in the previous year. The Ministry of Health aims to increase this share further to 75% by 2026.
Mr Akandoh also disclosed that all outstanding claims arrears totalling GH¢603 million as of December 2024 had been fully settled. In the first half of 2025 alone, over GH¢1.38 billion was disbursed to healthcare providers nationwide.
“This milestone demonstrates our government’s steadfast dedication to timely payments and fulfilling our obligations to healthcare providers,” he added.
The Health Minister further noted that enrolment under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) had risen to 15.67 million Ghanaians — an increase of more than 670,000 compared to 2024, signalling growing public trust and access.
Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, during his budget statement to Parliament in March, announced the levy’s uncapping and outlined a GH¢9.93 billion allocation for a broad spectrum of health priorities, including claims payments, essential medicines, vaccine procurement, free primary healthcare, and support for the MahamaCares medical trust initiative.
The move forms part of broader public health reforms aimed at rebuilding confidence in the NHIS and ensuring its financial sustainability amid pressures from population growth, rising demand for care, and donor funding shortfalls including a financing gap previously bridged by USAID.
