Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu
June 23, 2025
… As gov’s Executive Order Moves To Implementation Phase
In a significant push toward universal health coverage, the Lagos State Government on Friday, June 20, 2025, inaugurated the Management Committee (ManCo) of the Lagos Private Health Partnership (LPHP), officially activating the implementation phase of Executive Order EO/BOS/01/2024, which mandates compulsory health insurance for all residents of Lagos State.
The high-level event, held recently at the Ministry of Health Conference Room in Alausa, marked the beginning of a bold era in health financing reform, anchored on shared stewardship between public and private stakeholders.
The inauguration was presided over by the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, who described the event as the formal activation of “The governing structure for a transformative operational framework” that would drive mandatory health insurance within the state’s formal sector.
According to him, the Executive Order is Lagos State’s strategic domestication of the National Health Insurance Authority Act, 2022.
“Today marks a critical milestone in our effort to make healthcare not just accessible but equitable and sustainable,” said Prof. Abayomi. “We’re moving from fragmented health financing to a unified, digitally integrated system where every resident is covered, beginning with the formal sector,” he noted.
The Commissioner explained that the initiative was preceded by an intensive stakeholder engagement and consultation process, from which the operational guidelines of the Executive Order were developed and approved.
At the heart of the initiative is the Lagos Private Health Partnership (LPHP), a public–private implementation framework comprising the Lagos State Government, LASHMA, NHIA, HMOs, providers, and digital health innovators.
The LPHP will operate through two core implementation arms – the newly inaugurated Management Committee and a Delivery Office scheduled to commence full operations in July 2025.
Prof. Abayomi credited the development of the operational guidelines to a technical team led by internationally renowned health systems expert, Prof. Afolabi Ogunlesi. “The synthesis of our multi-stakeholder consultation was expertly done by Prof. Ogunlesi and his team, who distilled our ambitions and realities into a functional roadmap,” Abayomi said.
In his presentation, Prof. Ogunlesi described Lagos as Nigeria’s health insurance engine room, noting that the state accounted for over 46 NHIA-accredited HMOs, 1,800 private healthcare facilities, and a premium market size of ₦100 billion as of 2023.
“Yet systemic inefficiencies and poor coordination remain serious challenges,” he said. “The Executive Order and LPHP are direct interventions to resolve these bottlenecks, especially within the organised private sector.”
The LPHP, he explained, will be funded through 13% of health insurance contributions, which will be reinvested into system strengthening, care subsidies for vulnerable populations, and public awareness campaigns. “Our target is to transition enrollees toward better plans such as Red and Gold categories to ensure improved coverage and system sustainability,” Prof. Ogunlesi said.
The Permanent Secretary of LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, in her remarks, called for a pragmatic and inclusive approach.
“While we support this bold vision, we must also consider socioeconomic dynamics – like low-income private school staff who cannot afford private plans,” she said. “Policy design must avoid friction that could trigger rejection or failure. Incremental wins matter.”
Members of the Management Committee were formally introduced at the event. They include: Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi; LASHMA’s Coordinator of Regulations, Mr. Tosin Awosika; NHIA Zonal Representative; HMCAN Chairman, Dr. Leke Oshunniyi; HCPAN President, Dr. Austine Aipoh; Digital Platform MD, Mr. Femi Olapegba; and Health Commissioner appointees such as Dr. Olusegun Oluwajebe, Mr. Tosin Runsewe, and Mr. Akingbade Olufemi.
The Chairman of LASHMA, Dr. Bayo Adedewe, also attended the event, along with representatives from healthcare provider associations, the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria, and other key stakeholders. The gathering agreed on the urgent need to commence a 6–9 months statewide health insurance awareness campaign, coordinated by the Ministry’s Directorate of Public Affairs.
The Delivery Office, as disclosed by Prof. Abayomi, will operate full-time with an initial tenure of 12 months. The Director of Healthcare Planning, Research, and Statistics is to facilitate immediate setup logistics, including procurement of office furniture and equipment.
With the formal sector in focus for Phase One, Prof. Abayomi emphasised that Phase Two would target the informal sector – estimated at over 20 million Lagosians – and Phase Three would consolidate other population groups. “We are building in sustainability, but we must start somewhere,” he said.
The Commissioner concluded by urging HMOs and providers to join the LPHP consortium, warning that non-participation may result in exclusion from service provision in Lagos. “This is not just a reform – it’s a movement. Lagos is leading, and others will follow,” he declared.
With the formal structure now in place, Lagos appears ready to chart a new course, one in which access to healthcare is no longer a privilege but a right, backed by law, policy, and shared accountability.
