Tinubu Establishes National Health Technology Office, Appoints Dr. Obi Adigwe as Coordinator

President Bola Tinubu has approved the creation of the National Health Technology and Data Analytics Office (NHTDAO), a new agency tasked with streamlining Nigeria’s digital health infrastructure.

To lead the initiative, the President has appointed Dr. Obi Adigwe, the current Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, as the office’s pioneer National Coordinator.

According to a statement released on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the new office will be housed under the Office of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare. The agency’s primary objective is to serve as a national hub for coordinating the country’s digital health agenda.

The government clarified that the NHTDAO is designed to complement, rather than replace, the statutory duties of existing health departments and agencies. Its core mandate includes harmonizing both public and private health institutions, establishing connectivity standards, and operationalizing the National Digital Health Architecture, which received approval from the National Council on Health in November 2025.

The office will operate under the supervision of a steering committee co-chaired by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and the Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Olaniyi Yusuf.

The Presidency stated that the initiative is part of the administration’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, aimed at transitioning Nigeria toward a more secure, data-driven, and interoperable health system that ultimately improves patient outcomes for all citizens.