Lagos gives residents December 31 deadline to get health insurance

The Lagos State Government has given residents until December 31, 2026, to obtain health insurance, with enforcement of the mandatory coverage policy commencing on January 1, 2027.

The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, stated this on Tuesday while flagging off the enforcement of mandatory health insurance under Executive Order EO/BOS/01 of 2024.

According to a press release issued by the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Sanwo-Olu also unveiled the Lagos Private Health Plans, designed to extend health insurance coverage to salaried workers and corporate organisations.

The statement said the new plans would complement the existing Ilera Eko scheme for vulnerable residents and the informal sector.

“Governor Sanwo-Olu gave every resident until 31 December 2026 to obtain insurance cover, with enforcement commencing on 1 January 2027,” the statement read.

Speaking at an event attended by government officials, health practitioners and stakeholders from the public and private sectors in Victoria Island, the governor said the objective of the executive order was to ensure that every Lagos resident had health insurance and could access quality healthcare services without financial hardship.

He said, “The ultimate objective of the Executive Order went beyond enforcement, noting that it was to ensure that every Lagos resident was covered by health insurance and could access quality healthcare services without suffering financial hardship.”

The statement added that Sanwo-Olu said every resident, employer and worker in Lagos was required to have social health insurance, noting that the executive order placed responsibilities on individuals, employers and the government.

The governor explained that while Ilera Eko catered to vulnerable residents and the informal sector, the new health insurance plans would address the needs of salaried workers and employers.

He also stressed that employers must consider workers’ healthcare a necessary cost of doing business, just as they made provisions for pensions and other employment-related obligations.

On emergency medical care, the statement said the governor emphasised that no healthcare provider should turn away residents requiring emergency medical attention because of financial constraints, stressing that patients must first be stabilised before issues relating to payment or insurance coverage were addressed.

Sanwo-Olu disclosed that 21 health maintenance organisations had endorsed participation in the new plans, describing the arrangement as a partnership between the government and private operators to expand coverage and strengthen healthcare delivery.

He also urged medical professionals considering emigration to reconsider, arguing that improved healthcare financing could strengthen the sector and make it more sustainable for practitioners.

Speaking at the event, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said advances in medical technology, including artificial intelligence, robotic science and modern diagnostic equipment, had significantly increased healthcare delivery costs.

He also emphasised the importance of a strong and inclusive health insurance system to protect residents from rising medical expenses while ensuring access to quality healthcare services.

Abayomi described the launch as a major shift in healthcare financing, arguing that the current dependence on out-of-pocket payments placed excessive financial pressure on households and healthcare facilities.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Lagos State Health Management Agency, Dr Adebayo Adedewe, said the state government had increased its Health Equity Fund from N1bn to N3bn to provide health insurance coverage for more than 500,000 vulnerable residents who could not afford the required premiums.

He said LASHMA would continue to expand enrolment, strengthen public awareness and ensure that the new policy translated into accessible healthcare for residents.

Adedewe added that the agency had intensified community engagement through radio campaigns, billboards, digital advocacy and partnerships with traditional rulers, market associations, transport unions and other grassroots organisations.