50% of the world lacks access to comprehensive health services. Two billion people face financial hardship due to out-of-pocket healthcare costs. In Nigeria, over 95% of the population, more than 200 million people live without health insurance, according to the Nigerian Demographic Health Survey 2018. This leaves millions of low-income Nigerians with just two heartbreaking options when they fall sick: borrow money and sink deeper into poverty or self-medicate, risking complications or death. Nigeria ranks 5th in global mortality rates and 3rd in maternal mortality—both preventable with timely, affordable care. The root causes? Deep poverty, lack of awareness, and health insurance premiums that are simply out of reach for the average Nigerian.

HealthVest was created to break this deadly cycle. HealthVest is a USSD and app micro-savings wallet that allows users to save daily toward their health. These savings earn interest and can be invested to grow over time. Once a user has saved consistently, they get automatic access to low-cost health insurance coverage, covering hospital visits, emergencies, and essential treatments without out-of-pocket payments.

To ensure constant access to care for the last mile, the HealthVest AI provides 24/7 toll-free medical advice via SMS, phone calls and Whatsapp chatbot, using AI technology trained in Nigerian languages and medical protocols. The AI uses a triage system to identify medical emergencies and urgencies to trigger a rapid referral chain to the closest health facility. The AI listens, assesses symptoms, gives advice, and refers emergencies to nearby health centers. 

In less than 2 years, we’ve provided access to care for 1,195 Nigerians through our pilot product, Health4Moni, a simple daily health savings account modeled after the local “ajo” system, especially serving market women and farmers. Their feedback informed our pivot to HealthVest: a flexible, interest-generating daily savings model built on USSD, not reliant on field agents.

In the next 12 months, our bold goal is to fully launch and scale ussd HealthVest Wallet & HealthVest AI across 10 underserved communities, reaching 10,000 low-income Nigerians with access to daily health savings, health coverage, and the toll-free 24/7 AI medical adviser in local languages. 

Impact Outcomes:
Reduced out-of-pocket health expenses
Early detection and treatment of illnesses
Reduced morbidity and mortality rate from preventable causes
Increased trust in and usage of healthcare services
Improved financial resilience and reduced poverty over time