The Lagos State Government has given residents until December 31, 2026, to obtain health insurance, warning that enforcement of its mandatory coverage policy will begin on January 1, 2027.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced the deadline on Tuesday while flagging off the enforcement of mandatory health insurance under Executive Order EO/BOS/01 of 2024.
The government also unveiled the Lagos Private Health Plans to extend insurance coverage to salaried workers and corporate organisations, complementing the existing Ilera Eko scheme for vulnerable residents and those in the informal sector.
Speaking at an event in Victoria Island attended by government officials, healthcare professionals and private-sector stakeholders, Sanwo-Olu said the policy was designed to ensure that every Lagos resident could access quality healthcare without suffering financial hardship.
He explained that the executive order placed responsibilities on individuals, employers and the government, making health insurance a requirement for residents, workers and employers across the state.
The governor urged employers to treat workers’ healthcare coverage as a necessary business expense, just like pension contributions and other statutory employment obligations.
On emergency treatment, Sanwo-Olu warned that healthcare providers must not turn away patients requiring urgent medical attention because of their inability to pay or lack of insurance.
He stressed that emergency patients must first be stabilised before payment or insurance issues are addressed.
The governor disclosed that 21 health maintenance organisations had endorsed participation in the new private health plans, describing the initiative as a partnership aimed at expanding coverage and strengthening healthcare delivery.
He also appealed to medical professionals considering emigration to reconsider, arguing that improved healthcare financing could make the sector more sustainable for practitioners.
Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said rising medical costs, driven partly by advances in artificial intelligence, robotics and diagnostic technology, had made an inclusive health insurance system increasingly important.
Abayomi described the initiative as a major shift from a system heavily dependent on out-of-pocket payments, which he said placed considerable financial pressure on households and healthcare facilities.
Earlier, Chairman of the Lagos State Health Management Agency, Dr Adebayo Adedewe, disclosed that the government had increased its Health Equity Fund from N1 billion to N3 billion to extend insurance coverage to more than 500,000 vulnerable residents unable to afford the premiums.
Adedewe said the agency would intensify enrolment campaigns and public awareness programmes to ensure residents understood the policy and could access the benefits.
He added that LASHMA was engaging communities through radio campaigns, billboards, digital advocacy and partnerships with traditional rulers, market associations, transport unions and other grassroots organisations.
