… Expands Access To Health Insurance With Flexible EasyPay Plan
Mrs Onatunde Morenike, Chief Education Officer representing the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education; Mrs Kemi Salau, Deputy Director, Student Support Service, Ministry of Tertiary Education representing the Permanent Secretary ; Mr Olanrewaju Bajulaiye, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Information and Strategy, Lagos State; Dr Emmanuella Zamba, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) and Dr. Lukman Salami, Associate Professor, Lagos State University (LASU) representing the Vice Chancellor at the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) Y2026 Q1 Media parley held on Monday at LCCI, Alausa, Ikeja-Lagos.
The Lagos State Health Management Agency, LASHMA, has adopted the idea of catching them young by including students in the campaign train.
In addition, the agency is beginning the full enforcement of the Lagos State Health Scheme, marking a significant policy transition from voluntary enrolment to compulsory compliance across Lagos State.
Speaking at the quarterly media parley in Lagos on Monday, the LASHMA’s Permanent Secretary Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, stated that the agency is now fully implementing Executive Order EO/BOS/01 of 2024, which makes health insurance enrolment compulsory for all residents and workers in Lagos State.
She said that the enforcement marks a deliberate shift from awareness campaigns to structured compliance, aimed at strengthening the sustainability of the state’s health financing model.
According to her, the goal is to ensure that healthcare access is not dependent on income level or employment status. Zamba noted that the policy is “corrective rather than punitive,” stressing that it is designed to close existing gaps in enrollment and expand coverage across all socio-economic groups.
“The reform is necessary to prevent avoidable health-related financial hardship among households.” She further explained that health insurance remains a key instrument for reducing catastrophic health spending, particularly in emergencies where families are often forced into debt or asset liquidation to cover medical bills.
“LASHMA will continue to engage the public through quarterly media briefings, ensuring transparency in implementation and consistent updates on progress made so far.” Other LASHMA officials gave more details on various aspects of the health insurance scheme.
“This phase will extend enforcement to corporate organisations and private sector operators, including Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs), to ensure full compliance across the formal economy. Officials said the phased structure is designed to allow gradual but comprehensive coverage across all segments of society.”
12 Students were named ‘Ilera Eko Advocates’ and recognised for their outstanding contributions to the ILERA EKO Essay Competition, which recorded 731 entries from across primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions in Lagos State.
The competition was structured to encourage early awareness of health insurance and promote civic responsibility among young people. To support enforcement, LASHMA has restructured its operational system to improve reach and efficiency across all local government areas in Lagos State.
The agency also introduced Cluster Managers and Area Commanders to strengthen field operations and ensure closer engagement with communities. These officers will be responsible for overseeing enrolment, compliance monitoring, and local coordination.
The restructuring is aimed at improving accessibility, reducing bureaucratic delays, and ensuring that residents can easily register for the health insurance scheme. The new structure is also expected to improve data collection and real-time tracking of enrolment across different communities, helping the agency identify gaps and respond more effectively.
“Collaboration with local governments and LCDAs will be intensified to ensure enforcement is properly implemented at the grassroots level.” LASHMA also introduced “ILERA EKO Easy Pay” as part of its digital reform strategy to improve accessibility and affordability of health insurance in the state.
Head of Business Development, Rotimi Olatunji, said the initiative was designed specifically to address financial barriers that prevent many residents from enrolling in the scheme. He explained that the platform allows residents to make flexible, incremental payments rather than paying a lump sum, making it easier for low-income earners to participate.
The model, described as “save small, pay complete,” allows users to contribute small amounts over a three-month period until full payment is completed. Once completed, coverage under the scheme is automatically activated.
The innovation is expected to significantly improve enrolment rates, particularly among informal sector workers who often lack steady income streams. The system also promotes financial discipline while ensuring continuous participation in the health insurance programme.
The enforcement of mandatory health insurance reflects a broader governance and policy shift within Lagos State’s healthcare system. Health policy observers say the move places Lagos at the forefront of subnational health insurance reforms in Nigeria, especially in terms of enforcement and digital integration.
The policy is also seen as a response to the persistent strain on public hospitals caused by high out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure among residents. Officials argue that expanding insurance coverage will help reduce overcrowding in public facilities and improve the efficiency of healthcare delivery.
However, challenges remain, particularly in the informal sector where income patterns are irregular and compliance enforcement is more complex. LASHMA maintains that its phased implementation strategy is designed to address these realities gradually while ensuring sustainability.
Essay entries were assessed using a WAEC and NECO-aligned marking framework based on Content, Organisation, Expression, and Mechanical Accuracy (COEMA), ensuring academic fairness and consistency. Officials said the competition is part of a broader strategy to integrate health education into youth development initiatives across the state.
Winners received cash prizes ranging from ₦50,000 to ₦250,000 in recognition of their performance and creativity.They were also formally named “Ilera Eko Advocates,” giving them the responsibility of promoting health insurance awareness within their schools and communities.
LASHMA said it will intensify enforcement activities across all local government areas as implementation moves deeper into communities.The agency will work closely with local government and LCDA chairmen to ensure broader penetration of the health insurance scheme at the grassroots level. It also plans to collaborate with the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency to ensure that healthcare providers verify insurance status before offering medical services.
This measure will strengthen compliance at the point of care and reduce system loopholes in service delivery.In addition, LASHMA will fully operationalise its LASHMA-AID emergency response system, supported by Close User Group (CUG) communication lines to improve coordination and reduce response time during emergencies.
Participants commended LASHMA for combining enforcement with innovation, particularly the introduction of digital payment systems and grassroots restructuring.
Officials stressed that inter-agency collaboration will be critical to ensuring effective implementation of the health insurance scheme across Lagos State. They also emphasised the importance of continuous public engagement to improve understanding and compliance among residents.
The engagement was described as part of a wider effort to align policy direction, institutional capacity, and public awareness.However, LASHMA further disclosed that the enforcement of mandatory health insurance represents a major milestone in Lagos State’s healthcare reform agenda while stressing that the policy is central to achieving Universal Health Coverage and building a more equitable healthcare system.
With this, health insurance is now both a legal requirement and a key social protection mechanism for all residents of Lagos State.