On September 23rd, 2025, something extraordinary happened in Nnobi, my hometown in Anambra State.
At the Sir Pius Ufudo Complex in Ifite Nnobi, hundreds of men, women, and children gathered not for a festival or political rally, but for something more fundamental: the renewal of hope through healthcare.
The Sir Pius Ufudo Foundation, in partnership with the Nnobi US Diaspora Health Group and the Okigbo Family, successfully renewed the enrolment of 744 indigenes of Nnobi into the Anambra State Health Insurance Scheme (ASHIA).
Of these, 500 were directly sponsored by the Foundation, while our partners supported an additional 244. For these families, the event was far more than an administrative exercise—it was a guarantee of dignity, access, and security in times of medical need.
Healthcare remains one of Nigeria’s greatest challenges. Millions are still excluded from affordable coverage, and preventable illnesses too often become financial disasters. Families are frequently forced to choose between food and medicine, or school fees and hospital bills. This is a choice no one should have to make.
Government-driven solutions like ASHIA, when paired with philanthropic support, create the safety net needed to protect the most vulnerable. By underwriting health premiums, we eliminate immediate financial barriers and open the door to consistent, quality care.
What made the Nnobi enrolment particularly inspiring was its spirit of partnership. When the Foundation began this journey three years ago, it moved alone by sponsoring 476 indigenes.
Last year, we were joined by the Nnobi US Diaspora Health Group, which sponsored 144 indigenes, and the Okigbo Family of Awuda Nnobi, which added 100 more. Together, we have now reached 744 beneficiaries.
But the impact does not stop there. Our awareness campaign has encouraged many in Nnobi to enrol themselves and their families. A groundswell is building.
ASHIA itself is a worthy innovation of the government. For a premium of just N12,000 per year, beneficiaries gain access to quality healthcare at designated hospitals across Anambra State. Common illnesses are covered, with enrollees paying only 10% of the cost of prescribed drugs.
The scheme also guarantees access to genuine medicines—an invaluable safeguard in a country where counterfeit drugs are rampant.
This collaboration demonstrates a powerful truth: when like minds work together, impact multiplies. It is a model worth replicating, not only in Nnobi but across Anambra State and Nigeria. Health is a shared responsibility. It thrives when families, communities, government, and philanthropies act in concert.
For the Sir Pius Ufudo Foundation, this initiative is more than charity—it reflects our longstanding commitment to invest in people.
From building schools and supporting technology bootcamps to developing community infrastructure and awarding scholarships, our philosophy has always been simple: development must be holistic.
Without health, education cannot thrive; without education, communities cannot prosper. If communities do not prosper, crime and despair will.
Healthcare coverage for 744 indigenes is not an end in itself but a continuation of that philosophy. It is a statement that our people deserve the same security and dignity as citizens anywhere in the world.
The true test of leadership and philanthropy is sustainability. We will continue to push for wider enrolment, deeper awareness, and stronger partnerships. We dream that every family in Nnobi—and eventually across Anambra—will be covered under health insurance, freed from the fear that sickness could devastate their lives and cut short their dreams.
The journey to universal healthcare in Nigeria is long, but milestones like this prove it is possible. When communities take ownership of their health, when diaspora networks reinvest in their roots, and when families step up in solidarity, we create a blueprint for lasting progress.
Every community in Nigeria can replicate what we are doing in Nnobi. It takes leadership, sacrifice, and partnership. Above all, it requires recognition that health is not a privilege for the wealthy, but a right owed to every human being.
As we celebrate the enrolment of 744 Nnobi indigenes into ASHIA, we remind ourselves not to view it as a one-time achievement. Let it be a call to government, community leaders, families at home and abroad, and to philanthropic partners—that investing in health is the surest way to secure our future.
My father, the late Sir Pius Ufudo, in whose name the Foundation is established, believed that true legacy is measured not by what we keep, but by what we give. On September 23rd, that belief lived again in Nnobi. May it continue to guide us as we build a healthier, stronger, and more united community.
Obinna Ufudo is Chairman of the Sir Pius Ufudo Foundation
