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The Senate has passed for second reading a bill seeking to establish a comprehensive legal framework for electronic healthcare services in Nigeria, a move aimed at accelerating the country’s transition to a digitally driven healthcare system.
The proposed National E-Health Bill, 2026, sponsored by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, seeks to regulate, coordinate and integrate electronic health services nationwide while providing standards for the use of digital technologies in healthcare delivery.
Leading debate on the bill, Barau said Nigeria’s healthcare sector must embrace digital transformation in line with global trends, noting that countries across the world are deploying electronic medical records, telemedicine, artificial intelligence, mobile health applications, electronic prescriptions, wearable health technologies and integrated health information systems to improve healthcare delivery.
He noted that despite investments in the health sector over the years, Nigeria continues to grapple with paper-based medical records that often lead to the loss of patient information, duplication of diagnostic tests, delayed treatment and avoidable medical errors.
According to him, healthcare facilities also operate largely in isolation, making it difficult to securely exchange patients’ medical information across institutions.
Barau noted that the country still lacks a comprehensive legal framework to regulate electronic healthcare services despite the increasing adoption of digital health solutions by hospitals, private healthcare providers and technology firms, resulting in fragmented implementation of digital health initiatives, inconsistent standards, inadequate interoperability among healthcare institutions, weak governance structures and uncertainty over the legal responsibilities of providers operating digital platforms.
The Deputy Senate President also pointed to the uneven distribution of medical specialists across the country, saying millions of Nigerians in rural and underserved communities face significant barriers in accessing specialist healthcare because of distance and shortages of medical personnel.
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He explained that the proposed law would promote telemedicine by allowing patients in remote areas to consult qualified healthcare professionals without travelling long distances, thereby expanding access to quality healthcare and reducing pressure on tertiary hospitals.
Barau said the bill places strong emphasis on the protection of patients’ health information by establishing safeguards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and security of electronic medical records.
He listed the expected benefits of the legislation to include improved access to healthcare services, particularly in rural communities; shorter hospital waiting times through digital appointment systems and electronic patient management; stronger disease surveillance and public health emergency response through timely collection and analysis of health data; as well as increased innovation, job creation and growth in Nigeria’s digital economy.
He further said the bill aligns with the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda, the National Digital Health Strategic Framework, the National Health Act, Universal Health Coverage objectives, the Nigeria Data Protection Act and the country’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 3 on good health and Goal 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure.
Describing the legislation as a necessary response to the realities of modern healthcare, Barau urged his colleagues to support the bill, saying it would provide the legal foundation for a modern, efficient, inclusive and technology-driven healthcare system for Nigeria.
The bill was subsequently approved for second reading and referred for further legislative work.
