Tinubu Establishes National Health Technology Office, Appoints Obi Adigwe Coordinator

President Bola Tinubu has approved the creation of the National Health Technology and Data Analytics Office and appointed Obi Adigwe as its pioneer National Coordinator.

Premium Times reported that the new office, known as NHTDAO, will be domiciled in the Office of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare. Punch also carried the announcement in its Saturday feed.

The office is expected to coordinate Nigeria’s digital health agenda at the national level. Premium Times reported that it will reinforce existing statutory functions rather than replace departments or agencies already working in the health sector.

The NHTDAO is also expected to harmonise public and private health institutions, set standards that connect them and operationalise the National Digital Health Architecture approved by the National Council on Health in November 2025.

Adigwe is the Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development. His new role places him at the centre of the government’s health data and technology coordination plan.

Premium Times reported that Adigwe coordinated projects including a ¥300m nanotechnology grant and an AFREXIMBank grant for Africa’s first API Training Facility.

The report also said he led roadmap development tied to an €18m European Union grant in the same thematic area.

During the last pandemic, Adigwe conducted an analysis of Covid Organics, the herbal preparation promoted from Madagascar during the COVID-19 crisis.

The announcement came as the federal government continued to push digital public infrastructure across identity, health and security systems.

Premium Times reported that a steering committee will provide direction and oversight for the new office.

The government has not yet released a full operational timetable for the office or the immediate budgetary implications of the new structure.

Sources: Premium Times; Punch RSS