In December 2025, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) services for students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) based at the UDUTH campus was discontinued after years of unresolved debts owed by the university.

Determined to prevent a full-blown healthcare crisis, the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Medical Students’ Association (UDUMSA) organised a webinar on 15 January 2026 titled “NHIS and Medical Students: Enhancing Awareness, Enrollment and Emergency Care.” During the session, Dr. Uzairu Abdullahi, Project Manager of the NHIA Clinic, UDUTH, disclosed that the university owed approximately ₦62 million, covering the period from 2020 to 2025. He further explained that the suspension stemmed not only from the outstanding debt but also from the university’s failure to provide an updated list of eligible students.

A month later, GAMJI PRESS investigated the issue. On February 3, 2026, the pressboard published a report detailing the suspension and its implications with all necessary authorities interviewed to balance the report.

Speaking to GAMJI PRESS then, the NHIS Desk Manager at UDUTH, Alhassan Yakub, revealed that although services were officially discontinued in December, they resumed almost immediately after the university received a notice demanding urgent action. The report brought public attention to what had previously been an administrative issue, transforming it into a matter of urgent concern for students.

According to Abubakar Abdullahi, the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Medical Students Association (UDUMSA) President, the report exposed the true impact of the crisis and prompted immediate action.

“The story GAMJI PRESS published drew our attention to how the issue was affecting our students firsthand. Although we were already aware of the threat of closure, the report showed us the extent of the difficulties students were facing in accessing healthcare. I immediately contacted the departmental presidents of Pharmacy, Nursing, Radiography and other health-related courses because this was a challenge that affected all our students,” he explained.

The coalition engaged the university management, seeking a lasting solution rather than temporary assurances. Their meetings yielded encouraging results. Management confirmed that the outstanding debt had been cleared and that a new Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) had been engaged. However, one final hurdle remained as the new HMO required an updated register of eligible students before services could fully resume.

UDUMSA coordinated the next phase of the intervention. Class representatives across the affected faculties compiled updated student records, which were subsequently submitted to the new HMO to facilitate the restoration of services.

In May, an update titled “Update on the NHIS Matter” by Ibrahim Hashim informed, the UDUMSA Secretary-General explained that discussions with the Director of the UDUS Clinic had provided important clarification on the factors responsible for the disruption, while assuring students that engagements with relevant stakeholders were progressing.

The breakthrough came on 10 June 2026, when the Assistant Secretary-General of UDUMSA announced that the prolonged NHIS crisis had finally been resolved.

The notice read:

“Following months of engagement, discussions and challenges encountered along the way, we are pleased to inform all students that the NHIS issue has finally been resolved today.”

Students experiencing any remaining NHIS-related challenges were encouraged to report them as all eligible students are to regain access to healthcare services.

To verify the outcome, Gamji Press visited the clinic after the announcement. Although staff confirmed that full services were yet to commence, the administrative bottlenecks that had stalled the scheme had been resolved, with implementation expected to begin shortly.

While students await the full restoration of NHIA services, GAMJI PRESS continues to monitor developments.

Click here  to read the accountability report that brought this impact.