President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of the National Health Technology and Data Analytics Office (NHTDAO) as part of efforts to accelerate Nigeria’s digital health transformation and strengthen the country’s healthcare system.
The President also approved the appointment of Dr. Obi Adigwe as the pioneer National Coordinator of the new office.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the NHTDAO will be domiciled in the Office of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare.
The office is expected to serve as a national coordinating platform for Nigeria’s digital health agenda by harmonising health technology initiatives, strengthening collaboration among public and private institutions, and setting standards for an interoperable health system.
The statement noted that the new office would reinforce, rather than replace, the statutory responsibilities of existing health institutions while operationalising the National Digital Health Architecture approved by the National Council on Health in November 2025.
As pioneer National Coordinator, Dr. Adigwe is expected to lead the implementation of the country’s digital health strategy. As Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), he has led several science and technology initiatives, including projects in artificial intelligence, translational research, technology transfer, and pharmaceutical innovation.
Among his notable achievements are coordinating the ¥300 million Nanotechnology Grant, facilitating the AFREXIMBank grant for Africa’s first Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) Training Facility, and leading the roadmap that secured an €18 million European Union grant for pharmaceutical research. He also gained international recognition during the COVID-19 pandemic for leading the first scientific analysis that challenged claims surrounding the Covid Organics herbal preparation.
The President also approved the composition of the office’s Steering Committee, which will provide strategic direction and oversight.
The committee will be co-chaired by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, and the Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Mr. Olaniyi Yusuf. Other members include the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako; Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ms. Kachollom Daju; Special Adviser to the President on Technology and Digital Economy, Mr. Idris Alubankudi Saliu; and heads of key health institutions, alongside representatives of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), state commissioners of health from the six geopolitical zones, and the private sector.
President Tinubu expressed confidence that the National Health Technology and Data Analytics Office would accelerate Nigeria’s transition to a secure, interoperable, and data-driven healthcare system capable of improving health outcomes nationwide, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of his administration.