By: Adelowo Oladipo, Minna
The Niger State Government is set to strengthen healthcare regulation through a strategic partnership between the Niger State Private Health Facilities Agency (NiSPHFA) and the Niger State Geographic Information System (NiGIS) to digitally map all private health facilities across the State.
This was contained in a Press statement issued by Information Services Department, Ministry of Information & Orientation, made available to Journalists on Thursday in Minna
The statement added that the collaboration, discussed during an advocacy visit by the management of NiGIS to NiSPHFA in Minna, was aimed at establishing a comprehensive digital database of private health facilities to enhance regulation, improve planning, support evidence-based decision-making, and ensure access to safe and quality healthcare services for Nigerlites.
Executive Chairman of NiSPHFA, Dr. Abdullahi Suleiman, described the initiative as a major milestone in addressing the challenge of obtaining accurate data on private health facilities operating across the State.
He noted that although the Agency is barely four months old, it has made significant progress in regulating the private health sector and is already positioning itself among the country’s leading regulatory agencies.
He added that Niger State is the first in the North Central region to establish a dedicated agency for the regulation of private health facilities.
Dr. Suleiman explained that the absence of a reliable database has made effective monitoring difficult, as some facilities operate from unapproved locations or evade regulatory oversight.
He said the partnership with NiGIS would provide accurate spatial data to identify both registered and unregistered facilities, reduce operational costs, improve planning, and strengthen compliance with established standards.
According to him, the private health sector provides over 70 percent of healthcare services in Niger State, making effective regulation essential to safeguarding public health.
Earlier, the Acting General Manager of NiGIS, Ahmad Usman Pai, said the partnership would leverage Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to create a digital map of private health facilities, facilitate data sharing, and support informed planning and monitoring in the health sector.
Also speaking, the Chief Town Planning Officer of NiGIS, Dawaba John, described the Agency as the State’s repository for spatial data and assured NiSPHFA of its readiness to provide accurate location-based information and develop a Memorandum of Understanding to guide the collaboration.
The partnership is expected to enhance health sector regulation, improve service delivery, reduce operational costs, and ensure that only qualified and properly located private health facilities operate across Niger State
Leave a Comment