President Bola Tinubu on Friday approved creation of the National Health Technology and Data Analytics Office, a federal agency intended to centralize Nigeria’s digital-health agenda, and appointed Dr. Obi Adigwe as its inaugural national coordinator.
The office will sit within the Office of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare and act as a meta-level platform to coordinate digital-health initiatives across government and private-sector actors, officials said. It is intended to harmonize standards, empower institutions across the health system and operationalize the National Digital Health Architecture that the National Council on Health approved in November 2025.
A statement by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President Bayo Onanuga said the new body will reinforce—not supplant—existing statutory responsibilities of Ministries and Agencies, providing a standards-setting and coordination role to improve data interoperability and drive a more data-driven health system.
The statement said, Dr. Adigwe, who leads the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, brings a record of translational research and technology transfer to the post, including coordination of major grants and projects.
His portfolio includes a ¥300 million nanotechnology grant, an AFREXIMBank-funded project to establish an active pharmaceutical ingredient training facility and leadership of work that helped secure an €18 million European Union grant.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, he led an analysis that challenged claims about an herbal preparation then promoted as a treatment.
A multi-stakeholder steering committee will provide strategic direction and oversight.
Co-chairs are Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, and Olaniyi Yusuf, chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group.
Other members of the steering committee which provides strategic direction and oversight, comprising Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare (Alternate Co-chair), Ms Kachollom Daju, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Mr. Idris Alubankudi Saliu, Special Adviser to the President on Technology and Digital Economy and Dr Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq, National Coordinator, SWAp Coordination Office.
Others are Dr. Abdu Mukhtar, National Coordinator, Presidential Initiative to Unlock Healthcare Value Chain, Dr Muyi Aina, Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Kelechi Ohiri, Director General, National Health Insurance Authority, Director, Health Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, representatives from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and the National Health Insurance Authority, the National Information Technology Development Agency, six state health-commissioner representatives (one from each geopolitical zone), and an industry and community stakeholder representative.
Onanuga said President Tinubu expects the office to accelerate Nigeria’s transition to a secure, interoperable and data-driven health system that improves outcomes nationwide and aligns with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
