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NHIS’ Exec Sec In Fresh N25bn Fraud Scandal
Less than four months after his controversial reinstatement, the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Usman Yusuf is again in trouble over a N25 billion investment scam.
The newly inaugurated Governing Council of the agency has accused Mr Yusuf of misleading it to act against the policy directive of government by fraudulently obtaining its approval to invest the sum in securities.
The council also said the Executive Secretary concluded the arrangement for the investment before seeking its approval, contrary to the laws governing the scheme, and ignored key conditions it attached to the approval.
Mr. Yusuf was suspended by the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, in July 2017, following allegations of gross misconduct.
The minister then set up a panel to investigate the allegations. The panel reportedly indicted the Executive Secretary, following which the minister forwarded the report to the presidency.
But in February, without informing the minister, President Muhammadu Buhari reinstated Mr Yusuf into his office.
The development ignited an uproar, with a group of workers staging a protest at the agency against the return of the executive secretary.
President Buhari later summoned the minister and Mr Yusuf to a meeting at which he urged them to bury the hatchet and work together in the interest of the scheme.
Earlier in December, the president appointed a governing board for the scheme, alongside those of 208 other federal parastatals.
In February, he directed ministers to inaugurate the boards of agencies under their supervision. That directive was carried out on March 6 at the NHIS when the governing board was inaugurated with Enyantu Ifenne, a medical doctor, as chairperson.
However, much earlier in August while Mr Yusuf was still on suspension, the minister gave approval to the acting Executive Secretary of the scheme, Attahiru Ibrahim, to invest “idle funds” of the agency in federal government securities.
This was said to be in line with the National Health Insurance Act (Part IV, Section 11.4), which states that:
“The Scheme shall invest any money not immediately required by it in Federal Government Securities or in such other securities as the Council may, with the approval of the Minister, from time to time, determine.”
According to the letter of approval (HMH/ABJ/032/X/465), dated August 18, 2017, the minister wrote:
“It has come to my notice that the NHIS kept residual balance not immediately required for day-to-day operations idle in Treasury Single Account with the CBN. The Sum has accumulated over the years and has become somewhat sterilised as you continue to hold it in cash thereby leading to erosion in value due to inflationary trends which currently stands at 16.1%
“Following from above and in order to arrest this value erosion of the NHIS funds, I hereby approve as follows:
Commence effective immediately, starting with the sum of N10 Billion Naira (sic) up to the tune of N50 Billion Naira (sic) investments in Federal Government Securities at prevailing market determined yields.
Engage the services of any of the regulatory bodies certified investment counter parties; Cowry Asset Management Limited, Finmal Securities Limited or Elixir Investment Partners Limited to advise on the investment options and seamlessly execute same.
The investment actions and the expected returns should be captured in your 2017 budget estimates.
“It is my expectation that the returns on these investments will be used to fund part or all of the proposed interventions in the tertiary health institutions without depleting NHIS actual funds balances. I have taken the liberty to notify the Honourable Minister of Finance, Chairman Senate Committee on Health and Chairman House Committee on Health Services.”
However, 11 days later, the minister wrote again to the acting Executive Secretary to reverse his approval.
In the letter (HMH/ABJ/312/11/82) dated August 29, 2017, Mr Adewole wrote:
“This is to inform you that the Honourable Minister of Finance has advised against the proposal to invest NHIS residual funds in securities. The approval of such investment, she stated, will be an indirect violation of the Government’s Treasury Single Accounts (TSA) policy.
“In view of the above, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been advised to pay Treasury Bill rates on any residual balance held in the TSA with CBN for Investment Trusts.
“You are therefore directed to stop all actions and processes on the investment of NHIS residual funds in securities with immediate effect and approach CBN to facilitate the payment of interest on residual funds.”
The later letter appeared to have put closure on the idea to invest the NHIS “idle funds”, until Mr Yusuf regained his office in February.
Documents revealed that shortly after his reinstatement, he engaged one of the certified investment firms, Cowry Asset Management Limited, as financial adviser and directed it to proceed with the investment, relying on the original letter of the minister conveying approval but ignoring the other letter withdrawing the approval.
He directed that N25 billion be invested in five tranches of five billion Naira each and to mature in 2034.
According to insiders at the NHIS, this was also in defiance of advice of officers at the agency, some of whom later decided to frustrate the process pending the inauguration of the governing board.
Following the inauguration of the Council on March 6, Mr Yusuf presented a memo to its first sitting on April 25, on the “urgent need to invest NHIS funds due to huge deficit spending, inflation, poor cash backing, debts owed the Scheme by banks and unauthorized deductions by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.”
He asked the council to approve that the NHIS management immediately commence the process of investing the residual funds in federal government securities and give progress report of the investment to council from time to time.
Based on the memo, the council approved the placement of N30 billion only in federal government securities “with no commission payment to a third party.”
Following the council’s resolution, Mr Yusuf on May 3 wrote Cowry Asset Management Limited to inform it that the council stated clearly that “there should be no payment of any commission to a third party” for the investment.
He, however, stated: “The Scheme will therefore engage Cowry Asset Management Ltd in a similar way it did its Forensic Auditors and retained Lawyer with initial engagement fee and any subsequent payments of fees presented for work done by your Company will be subject to the approval of the Tenders Board.”
After the approval, aghast insiders at NHIS made the council aware of the advice of the minister against the investment when the idea was initially muted in 2017.
Irked that the executive secretary had only presented to it the initial letter of the minister conveying his approval, it directed that no further action be taken on the investment.
The council also issued Mr Yusuf a query for misleading it to give approval for a course of action that is against the policy directive of government.
According to the query issued by the Chairman of the Governing Council, Mrs Ifenne, the council noted that its provisional approval was for “Management to initiate due process and submit a proposal to enable Council seek authorisation by the Honourable Minister of Health.”
Mrs Ifenne’s letter continued: “As it stands, Council attention has been drawn to new information which you failed to disclose in your earlier presentation.”
The council said Mr Yusuf withheld from it a letter from the minister which expressly stated that the Minister of Finance advised against investing NHIS funds in securities.
It also accused the executive secretary of engaging the financial adviser without stating the terms and conditions of engagement.
Other charges are that Mr Yusuf approved “wholesale” the proposal of the firm he engaged as financial adviser on the eve of the inauguration of the council, and directed a general manager of the scheme to expedite disbursement of N25 billion for long-term investment without obtaining prior approval of the Minister of Health as required under the NHIS Act.
He was also accused of engaging the investment advise on “vague and elastic terms”, and instructing an official to process the firm’s engagement without further reference to council for approval.
Stressing the council was not presented with all available information to enable informed decision-making on the matter, the chairman stated that the council believed that “non-disclosure of significant information misled it into error in decision which may compromise her standing.”
The query advised Mr Yusuf to explain in writing “the observed procedural lapses and failure to disclose critical information to Council.”
It directed him to present his explanation to council at its meeting scheduled for June 12.
That meeting, however, did not hold on that date due to other reasons and the council is yet to announce another date for the meeting.
Mr Yusuf did not respond to efforts by our correspondent to get his reaction on the matter as he refused to pick several calls or respond to a text message requesting his response.
Spokesman to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Segun Sowunmi, has advised his principal, Atiku, to learn from President Bola Tinubu on how to form a coalition.
The Tide reports that in a bid to wrest power from President Tinubu in 2027, Atiku has been leading the movement by opposition politicians to form a coalition of political parties ahead of the next general election.
Last month, opposition politicians set up a team comprising former Minister of Transpiration, Rotimi Amaechi, and former Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke, to decide whether to float a new party or fuse into an existing platform.
While the main opposition party, PDP, struggles with a perennial leadership crisis, the former Vice President is bent on establishing another political force to take power from the ruling party in 2027.
But Sowunmi, who has been Atiku’s ally for many years, disagrees with his move, saying instead of forming a coalition with another political platform, he should coalesce opposition politicians into the PDP.
Speaking during an interview on TVC on Tuesday, Sowunmi, who was Atiku’s campaign spokesperson in the last election, asked his principal to learn from President Tinubu on how to form a coalition.
Sowunmi believes Atiku, having benefitted from the PDP as a former Vice President and getting the party’s presidential ticket twice, should not seek to form a coalition that will not have the PDP as its base.
He said, “I’ve always said to people, people love with their hearts. I love atiku with my bones. But I can’t help him against himself. You can’t run vice presidency on PDP two times with Obasanjo, get presidential candidate on that same party two times. I don’t agree with him that the next best thing is to be shopping for…(a platform) If you want a coalition, why are you not coalescing them into your party?” he asked.
The former PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State advised the ex-VP to learn from Tinubu on how to build a coalition without dumping his political party.
“Look at your rival, your friend. You guys started together. At best, even if you want to say he’s building a coalition is he not coalescing opponents into his place”? Sowunmi asked again.
The PDP chieftain, who recently showered praises on Tinubu after he visited him, said the President has an “uncanny ability to make everybody individually feel special” regardless of political affiliations.
His words: “That guy (Tinubu) is something oh, he has this uncanny ability to make everybody individually feel special. It doesn’t matter whether you are a former foe or a president’s friend, every moment you share with him, I don’t know how he does it, though you’re going to leave the place feeling that you matter, feeling that he gets it, feeling that what you guys are talking about is important. And there’s something about him, when he gives you his word, he will say something like ‘ko le ye’, meaning that to the best of human ability, it will stand.”
Meanwhile, there have been conversations about Sowunmi’s political stance as many questioned his relationship with Atiku, with whom he shares a longstanding political relationship.
Asked about his relationship with Atiku following his meeting with Tinubu, Sowunmi said he doesn’t know if the former Vice President is upset.
“I don’t know whether Atiku is upset or not upset, but I know a lot of our followers are talking a lot of nonsense, and I’m wondering how I became attached to Atiku when I’ve been in PDP since 1999 never leaving,” he responded.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has introduced a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to fix inconsistencies in tax services across its over 300 offices nationwide.
The move aims to make tax processes clearer, more transparent, and easier for Nigerians.
In a statement, Special Adviser on Communications and Advocacy to the FIRS Executive Chairman, Mr. Collins Omokaro, said the updated SOP is a key part of the agency’s plan to improve taxpayer experience.
He explained that, in the past, different FIRS offices used different methods, which often confused taxpayers.
“This is about people, experience, and impact. It’s a step towards a tax system that supports voluntary compliance and national development,” Omokaro said.
The new SOP provides a single guide for key processes like registration, payment, audit, and enforcement. This will ensure all FIRS offices follow the same steps, making the system fairer and more predictable.
FIRS Executive Chairman, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, described the SOP as more than just a set of rules.
“This SOP is not just a technical document; it is a declaration of who we are becoming as a service. It reflects our commitment to transparency and service to the Nigerian people,” he said.
The SOP also supports FIRS’s digital transformation, combining human and technological systems to deliver faster and more reliable services. It will also improve internal efficiency by providing clear guidance and better training for staff.
“With this rollout, every FIRS staff member has a clear mandate: study it, apply it, and embody it. That’s how we’ll earn the trust of Nigerians,” Omokaro added.
The reform is part of FIRS’s efforts to become a more service-driven organisation, focused on clarity, consistency, and national growth. The agency hopes the new SOP will make tax services better for Nigerians and increase public trust in the system.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, says the Federal Government is committed to building a world-class public service in Nigeria.
Walson-Jack made this known in Abuja, on Wednesday, at a World Press Conference ahead of the International Civil Service Conference and the African Public Service Week scheduled for June 25 to 26 in Abuja.
She said a recent study tour to Singapore was part of preparatory activities aimed at positioning Nigeria’s civil service for excellence and attracting global participation in the upcoming events.
“The study tour to Singapore was the first major activity we undertook under the collaboration between the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and the Heads of Service of the 36 states and the FCT,” she said.
According to her, the visit, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), involved 20 State Heads of Service and was designed to benchmark best global practices and enhance Nigeria’s public service delivery.
“The idea was born out of our ongoing collaboration, where we share ideas and knowledge across federal and state levels.
“Singapore was chosen because it is globally recognised for excellence in public service,” she explained.
Walson-Jack noted that the second phase of the tour will involve the remaining 17 heads of service later this year.
She said the tour provided participants with the opportunity to engage with both public and private sector institutions in Singapore, compare administrative practices, and gain insights into global standards.
“It was an eye-opener and a capacity-building opportunity.
“Since our return, several state civil services have begun implementing reforms in collaboration with the federal service, particularly in areas such as capability development and digital transformation,” she added.
Walson-Jack further disclosed that Nigeria would host a reciprocal study tour during the upcoming African Public Service Week, where foreign delegates will engage with various federal institutions.
“They will see firsthand our digitalisation efforts, performance management systems, and other reform initiatives aimed at transforming our civil service.
“We hope the experience will inspire similar actions in their home countries,” she said.