The Senate has passed a groundbreaking bill aimed at establishing a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework for the development, coordination, and integration of electronic health services across Nigeria. The bill successfully scaled its second reading during Wednesday’s plenary session following overwhelming support from lawmakers.
Sponsored by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, the proposed legislation seeks to lay the legal foundation for a modern, technology-driven healthcare system designed to improve accessibility, efficiency, and the overall quality of medical services in Nigerian hospitals.
Leading the debate, Senator Barau highlighted the global necessity of digital healthcare. He pointed out that, despite substantial investments, Nigeria’s healthcare system still faces issues such as fragmented patient data, reliance on cumbersome paper records, and restricted rural access to specialist care—all challenges the bill seeks to address.
“Nigeria cannot afford to remain on the margins of the global digital health transformation,” Senator Barau stated. “Through telemedicine, patients in remote communities will consult qualified healthcare professionals without traveling long distances. It will improve access to quality healthcare and reduce pressure on tertiary hospitals.”
Barau recalled how the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical need for telemedicine, remote consultations, and unified electronic health information systems during emergencies. He explained that the new bill will formalize standard practices, strengthen patient data protection, enhance disease surveillance, and drastically reduce hospital waiting times through electronic appointment systems. The legislation seamlessly aligns with the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda, universal health coverage goals, the Nigeria Data Protection Act, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Several lawmakers enthusiastically backed the bill during the debate:
Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC, Borno North) noted that the global medical landscape has fully embraced technology, adding that the bill will safeguard medical records and align local electronic health infrastructure with international standards.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North) described the bill as timely, emphasizing that a digital approach will lower barriers and expand critical medical outreach to underserved communities.
Senator Tony Nwoye (LP, Anambra North) highlighted the bill’s potential to alleviate the burden on tertiary hospitals by allowing seamless medical record retrieval and expanding telemedicine in rural areas.
Following its passage via a unanimous voice vote, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), mandating the committee to conduct further legislative work and report back to the plenary within four weeks.
