A Niger Welfare Foundation Initiative
Ensuring Healthcare for Nigeria's Elderly.
The Health Support Fund (HSF) helps elderly individuals who lack pension income and health insurance gain access to essential healthcare.
12M+
Nigerians over 60 without health coverage
0%
Pension coverage among informal workers
∞
Lives we aim to transform through continuous care
About HSF
A crisis of access, not a crisis of care.
The Health Support Fund is a dedicated initiative created to address a significant gap in access to healthcare for elderly individuals in Nigeria. Many older people face a difficult reality: they have no pension income, no health insurance, and limited financial support. As a result, even basic medical care can become inaccessible.
The Fund exists to protect the dignity and wellbeing of these individuals by ensuring that financial hardship does not prevent access to essential healthcare.
Its approach is deliberately practical. Rather than providing one-off assistance, the Fund focuses on financing health insurance coverage through Health Maintenance Organisations. This ensures that beneficiaries have ongoing access to a defined range of healthcare services in a predictable and structured way.
This approach matters because it creates continuity. It allows individuals to seek care when needed, rather than waiting until conditions become critical. It also allows the Fund itself to operate in a sustainable way, with clear planning and accountability.
The HSF has been designed with simplicity and responsibility in mind. It operates with defined eligibility criteria, transparent selection processes, and strong governance oversight. The intention is to build something that is modest in scale at the beginning, but solid in structure and capable of growing over time.
Our Approach
- 01
HMO Partnerships
We work with licensed HMOs to deliver structured, accountable care — not ad-hoc handouts.
- 02
Continuous Coverage
Each enrollee receives ongoing health plan coverage, not a single intervention.
- 03
Community Identification
We partner with local leaders and NGOs to find those who need help most.
How It Works
From identification to continuous care.
The operation of the Fund is designed to be straightforward and transparent.
Identification
It begins with the identification of elderly individuals who do not receive a pension, do not have health insurance, and have limited financial means. Clear criteria are used to ensure that support is directed to those most in need.
Application Review
Applications are then reviewed through a structured and impartial process. The aim is to ensure fairness, consistency, and independence in decision-making.
Enrollment
Those who are approved are enrolled in health insurance plans provided by recognised Health Maintenance Organisations. These plans give beneficiaries access to essential healthcare services, including consultations and basic treatments.
Access to Care
Once enrolled, beneficiaries are able to access care through the HMO network without direct payment at the point of service. The Fund covers the cost of maintaining this coverage.
This model is intentionally simple. It provides a stable and predictable form of support, avoids ad hoc interventions, and creates a system that can expand gradually as resources grow.
Transparency
Built on trust, verified by structure.
The HSF is established as a dedicated Special-Purpose Fund and a named programme within the Niger Welfare Foundation. It is not a separate legal entity. All legal obligations, assets, and liabilities of the HSF remain within and under the legal personality of NWF.
The HSF shall be governed through a two-tier structure: the Board of Trustees of NWF, which retains ultimate oversight, and a Fund Management Board (FMB), which holds full delegated authority for all programme and operational responsibilities.
The FMB shall maintain a culture of transparency, accuracy, and integrity in all reporting and record-keeping activities, managing all receipts and disbursements through a dedicated, ring-fenced fund account within NWF's financial structure.
An initiative of the Niger Welfare Foundation
Registered non-profit · CAC Nigeria
Governance & Oversight
HSF operates under a multi-layered governance framework designed to ensure every naira is accounted for and every enrollee's care is tracked.
Governed by a two-tier structure: NWF Board of Trustees and the delegated Fund Management Board.
Finances managed via a dedicated, ring-fenced fund account within NWF's financial structure.
Accounts and financial records are audited as part of NWF's regular audit processes.
Comprehensive Annual Report and financial summary submitted to the Board of Trustees.
Get Involved
Every contribution moves the needle.
The Health Support Fund depends on the support of individuals and organisations who share its commitment to dignity and access to healthcare.
At its core, the Fund operates through contributions. Donations—whether one-time or recurring—make it possible to provide health insurance coverage to elderly individuals who would otherwise be unable to afford it. As the Fund grows, so does its ability to reach more people.
We also welcome partnerships with organisations, including corporate sponsors, foundations, and healthcare providers. These partnerships may take different forms, including financial support, collaboration, or technical input.
The Fund has been designed as a practical and sustainable response to a real need. With consistent support, it can grow in a measured and responsible way, ensuring that more elderly people gain reliable access to healthcare over time.
Make a Donation
Pledge your support for elderly healthcare
Partner or Inquire
Partnerships, volunteering, media, or general questions