Lagos expands health insurance coverage, introduces flexible payment plan

Lagos expands health insurance coverage, introduces flexible payment plan

The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has intensified efforts to expand health insurance coverage across the state, unveiling new reforms and initiatives aimed at deepening enrolment and improving access to healthcare services.

Permanent Secretary of the agency, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, disclosed this during the agency’s 2026 first-quarter media parley held in ALausa CBD, Ikeja ON Monday, where she outlined key achievements and strategic interventions under the ILERA EKO scheme.

Zamba said the agency had strengthened enforcement of mandatory health insurance following the Executive Order signed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, leading to increased compliance across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

She revealed that LASHMA had completed its first compliance assessment, enabling MDAs with public interface to verify residents’ enrolment status through dedicated portals.

According to her, the agency has also scaled up grassroots engagement across all local councils, while restructuring its operations to enhance efficiency and widen access to enrolment.

“We have restructured our Sales Department with the introduction of Cluster Managers and Area Commanders to improve our presence at the grassroots and simplify registration processes,” she said.

In response to prevailing economic challenges, Zamba announced the introduction of a flexible payment solution, “ILERA EKO EasyPay,” designed to allow residents to make incremental contributions toward their health insurance premiums.

She said the initiative builds on the existing “Pay-Small-Small” model and is targeted at low- and middle-income earners, particularly those in the informal sector.

“This platform reduces financial barriers and expands access to health insurance for more residents,” she added.

As part of efforts to strengthen public awareness, she said the agency trained 72 journalists in collaboration with the International Society of Media in Public Health to enhance reporting on social health insurance.

Zamba also highlighted youth engagement initiatives, including the ILERA EKO Essay Competition, which attracted over 700 entries from public school students, with 12 winners emerging across different categories.

She said the winners would be decorated as ILERA EKO ambassadors to promote health insurance awareness among their peers and communities.

Reaffirming the agency’s commitment to achieving universal health coverage, Zamba stressed the importance of collaboration with the media and other stakeholders in driving awareness and compliance.

“Health insurance is not a luxury; it is a necessity,” she said, urging residents to enrol and take advantage of available schemes.

Zamba assured that LASHMA would continue to prioritise transparency, innovation and stakeholder engagement in its drive to build a more inclusive and sustainable healthcare system in Lagos State.

Speaking while giving update on the implementation of the Executive Order on mandatory health insurance for the first quarter of 2026, Dr. Nifesimi Akinnagbe, Technical Assistant to the Permanent Secretary, LASHMA, said the government had begun full enforcement of its compulsory health insurance policy, introducing a strict “No ILERA EKO, No Service” regime aimed at accelerating universal health coverage across the state.

Akinnagbe said the Executive Order (No. BOS/01/2024) mandates all residents and workers in Lagos to enrol in the Social Health Insurance Scheme, adding that enforcement had now commenced in phases to ensure compliance across all sectors.

He stated that the first phase of enforcement targets Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), where access to certain public services is being tied to proof of health insurance enrolment.

According to him, the policy is being championed by the Head of Service, Olabode Agoro, to ensure strict adherence within the public sector.

Akinnagbe explained that the government is deploying a “gatekeeping” strategy, where residents will be required to show evidence of enrolment before accessing services in MDAs.

“The Executive Order mandates compulsory enrolment, and enforcement has formally commenced in phases to ensure early traction and sustained compliance,” he said.

He added that subsequent phases would extend enforcement to the informal sector and corporate organisations, bringing artisans, traders, vulnerable groups and private sector employees into the health insurance net.

Akinnagbe stated that healthcare facilities have also been integrated into the enforcement framework, noting that hospitals are expected to request proof of enrolment and register uninsured patients at the point of care.

He said compliance assessments had already been conducted across MDAs to evaluate readiness, including verification systems, integration of enrolment platforms and provision of dedicated spaces for ILERA EKO services.

To strengthen implementation, Akinnagbe said the agency had intensified public awareness campaigns and stakeholder engagement, including sensitisation programmes for government officials, local council authorities and community leaders.

He further stated that capacity-building initiatives had been carried out for journalists to improve reporting on health insurance and drive public understanding of the scheme.

Akinnagbe maintained that the enforcement strategy is designed to ensure that all residents have access to affordable healthcare while reducing out-of-pocket expenses.

He noted that the government would scale up grassroots enforcement in collaboration with local governments, while also strengthening compliance monitoring in healthcare facilities through regulatory partnerships.

With the next phase set to expand into communities and the private sector, Akinnagbe said Lagos is steadily advancing toward universal health coverage, insisting that health insurance must become a standard requirement for accessing services in the state.