The Niger State Government has commenced plans to digitally map all private health facilities across the state as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare regulation, improve planning and enhance access to quality healthcare services.
The initiative is being implemented through a strategic partnership between the Niger State Private Health Facilities Agency (NiSPHFA) and the Niger State Geographic Information System (NiGIS).
The collaboration was announced during an advocacy visit by the management of NiGIS to the NiSPHFA headquarters in Minna.
Speaking during the meeting, the Executive Chairman of NiSPHFA, Dr. Abdullahi Suleiman, described the initiative as a significant step towards addressing the challenge of inadequate data on private health facilities operating across the state.
Dr. Suleiman said although the agency was established barely four months ago, it has made notable progress in regulating the private healthcare sector and is positioning itself among the country’s leading regulatory agencies.
He noted that Niger State is the first in the North Central region to establish a dedicated agency for the regulation of private health facilities.
According to him, the absence of a reliable database has hindered effective monitoring, allowing some facilities to operate from unapproved locations or evade regulatory oversight.
He explained that the partnership with NiGIS would provide accurate geospatial data to identify registered and unregistered facilities, reduce operational costs, improve planning and strengthen compliance with established standards.
Dr. Suleiman added that the private health sector provides more than 70 per cent of healthcare services in the state, making effective regulation essential to safeguarding public health.
Earlier, the Acting General Manager of NiGIS, Ahmad Usman Pai, said the partnership would leverage Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to develop a comprehensive digital map of private health facilities, facilitate data sharing and support evidence-based planning and monitoring in the health sector.
Also speaking, the Chief Town Planning Officer of NiGIS, Dawaba John, described the agency as the state’s repository for spatial data and assured NiSPHFA of its readiness to provide accurate location-based information and develop a Memorandum of Understanding to guide the partnership.
The collaboration is expected to improve regulation of private healthcare facilities, enhance service delivery, reduce operational costs and ensure that only qualified and properly registered private health facilities operate across Niger State.