BENIN CITY – The Edo State Health Insurance Commission (EDOHIC) has intensified preparations for the digital transformation of health insurance administration in the State, training healthcare providers and facility desk officers across the three Senatorial Districts ahead of the September 1, 2026 go-live of its Online Portal Version 1.0.
The training, held on Thursday, August 20, 2026, is part of the Commission’s stakeholder-readiness strategy designed to ensure that frontline healthcare personnel are fully equipped to operate the new platform and provide seamless services to enrollees from day one.
The portal represents a major shift from EDOHIC’s existing manual processes, with key operations—including enrollee verification, authorisations, referrals, claims processing and enrolment—set to be automated.
The digital transition is also consistent with the administration of His Excellency, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, Governor of Edo State, which has prioritised improved access to quality healthcare and the use of technology to strengthen public service delivery.
The initiative is expected to contribute to the administration’s efforts to build a more efficient, responsive and people-centred healthcare system capable of delivering improved services to residents across Edo State.
Speaking during the training, the Director, Health Services and Standards, EDOHIC, Dr. Osayuki Edosa-Iyayi, who delivered the opening remarks on behalf of the Director-General of the Commission, Dr. Mrs. Augusta Ikpea-Enaholo, said the training was critical to ensuring a smooth transition from manual operations to the new digital system.
Dr. Edosa-Iyayi said the portal was developed to improve productivity within the Commission while making healthcare processes faster and more seamless for both enrollees and healthcare providers.
She explained that processes that previously required manual intervention, including verification of an enrollee’s details and CIN number, obtaining authorisations and processing referrals, would now be handled electronically.
“Basically, what the Commission has done is introduce software solutions to enhance productivity at the level of the Commission. When an enrollee goes to the hospital, from verifying their name and CIN number to obtaining authorisation and referrals, everything has been automated,” she said.
According to her, the automation would significantly reduce waiting and turnaround times, particularly when health facilities require approval for referrals or other authorisations, as requests and responses would be processed through the digital platform.
The Technical Adviser to the Director-General, EDOHIC, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Odungide, described the training as a crucial step in preparing stakeholders for the transition.
Mrs. Odungide said the platform represents a significant upgrade from the manual system previously operated by the Commission, particularly in claims processing.
“With the automation of our processes, there will definitely be faster response time. The system we operated before now was more or less manual, so this is a definite upgrade. With the automation, there will be reduced waiting time for enrollees and the processes for our facility desk officers will become much more seamless,” she said.
She added that the digital system would strengthen transparency and accountability by ensuring that requests and transactions are electronically captured and tracked, improving the Commission’s ability to monitor activities and reducing opportunities for fraudulent practices.
Also speaking, a Senior Claims Officer with the Commission, Dr. Fejiro Oghi, said the portal would significantly enhance the efficiency of claims processing when fully deployed.
Dr. Oghi explained that claims officers had previously relied largely on manual processes to receive, review and respond to requests from healthcare facilities, a situation that could sometimes lead to delays.
He said the new platform would simplify the process by providing a structured digital channel through which requests could be received and processed, ultimately improving the experience of healthcare providers and enrollees.
From the technology perspective, an ICT Officer with EDOHIC, Mr. Samuel Olukoya, said the portal would also facilitate the Commission’s transition from paper-based enrolment to a more convenient digital process.
He explained that the platform would enable residents, including public sector workers, to access enrolment services digitally, reducing dependence on manual procedures.
Healthcare providers participating in the training also highlighted the practical benefits of the new system.
A Desk Officer at Bethel Medical Centre, Mr. Bright Kerimu, described the software as user-friendly and said it was expected to reduce the workload associated with processing enrollee requests.
He noted that the opportunity to interact with the platform ahead of its deployment would enable facility desk officers to familiarise themselves with its functionalities and become better prepared to support enrollees once the system goes live.
The training is part of EDOHIC’s broader stakeholder-readiness programme aimed at ensuring that the digital transition is not only technologically successful but also operationally effective at the point of service.
By training healthcare providers and facility desk officers ahead of deployment, the Commission is seeking to ensure that frontline users possess the knowledge and practical competence required to operate the system and support enrollees without unnecessary disruption.
With the Online Portal V1.0 scheduled to go live on September 1, 2026, the deployment is set to mark a significant milestone in the administration of health insurance services in Edo State.
The platform will provide an integrated digital framework for managing enrolment, claims, authorisations and referrals, while improving coordination between EDOHIC and healthcare providers.
The Commission said the initiative reinforces its commitment to leveraging technology to improve service delivery, reduce administrative delays and provide enrollees with a faster and more seamless healthcare experience, in keeping with its mandate to advance healthcare coverage for all in Edo State.
