TISHIP and Nigerian University Student Health Insurance Explained

What TISHIP is

The Tertiary Institutions Social Health Insurance Programme (TISHIP) is a scheme run by Nigeria's National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to give students in tertiary institutions access to health care through their campus health center instead of paying cash for every visit. It pools a flat contribution from students at participating institutions to fund the school's health services, covering universities, colleges of education, polytechnics, and schools of nursing and midwifery, according to research published in PLOS Global Public Health .

What it costs and what it covers

TISHIP charges a community-rated premium of NGN 2,000 per academic session, far below what a single private consultation and prescription would cost. In exchange, it funds promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services at primary and secondary care level: routine consultations, common drugs, basic diagnostic tests, and referral for care the campus clinic does not provide directly.

Check whether your school has enrolled you

TISHIP works through your institution, not through an individual NHIA account you set up yourself. Most schools bundle the premium into fees paid at registration and enroll the whole student body automatically, so check your fee schedule or ask the campus health center whether TISHIP appears as a separate line or is folded into a general medical fee. Ask directly if you cannot find it, since the same PLOS study found many eligible students remain unaware they are covered or are not enrolled at all.

Where the coverage gap shows up

TISHIP funds care at your institution's own health center plus its named referral hospital, not every hospital in your city. At Obafemi Awolowo University, students reported that their TISHIP-linked cover extends to a Seventh-Day Adventist hospital but not to the OAU Teaching Hospital, leaving them to pay cash for care at the bigger facility. One student told reporters she spent over NGN 60,000 on treatment in April 2025 despite already paying the compulsory medical fee. Before assuming TISHIP covers anything serious, ask your health center which specific hospital your referral goes to and what happens if you need a service that hospital does not offer.

If your state runs its own scheme too

Several Nigerian states run contributory health schemes alongside the national NHIA framework. Students already enrolled through a parent's state scheme may have overlapping cover, so check what is already available before assuming TISHIP is your only option.

What to do if TISHIP falls short

If your referral hospital cannot handle your case, or you need specialist or private care, budget for the out-of-pocket cost rather than assuming TISHIP extends automatically. Keep receipts for anything you pay directly. If your institution's health center repeatedly denies services that should sit within the TISHIP benefits package, raise it with your student union's welfare desk or your institution's health services committee.

What TISHIP does not replace

TISHIP funds routine and referral-level care tied to your institution, not a general private health insurance policy. It does not typically extend to elective procedures, care at a hospital outside your school's referral network, or treatment during long breaks when you are away from campus and outside your institution's catchment area. Students with a chronic condition needing ongoing specialist management should confirm early whether TISHIP's referral pathway covers that specialist, rather than assuming general enrollment is enough.

Common questions from new students

• Is TISHIP compulsory? Most participating institutions collect it as part of standard registration fees, so opting out is rarely an option once you are enrolled at a participating school.

• Does TISHIP cover treatment during industrial action or long strikes, when campus clinics may close? Coverage depends on your institution's specific arrangement, so ask your health center directly rather than assuming continuity during any closure.

• Can postgraduate and part-time students access TISHIP the same way as full-time undergraduates? Eligibility rules are set by NHIA and applied through your institution, so confirm your specific category's status with your school's health center rather than assuming it matches undergraduate terms.