Idowu Abdullahi
The Lagos State Government on Wednesday formally inaugurated the Lagos State Health Scheme Enforcement Team, marking the commencement of full implementation of mandatory social health insurance.
Coming on the heels of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Executive Order, the insurance is intended to ensure that no resident is denied access to healthcare due to financial constraints.
The inauguration ceremony, held in the Conference Room of the Public Service Office, Alausa-Ikeja, brought together key stakeholders from the state and federal levels to advance universal health coverage through the Ilera-Eko Social Health Insurance Scheme.
Delivering the keynote address, the state’s Head of Service, Mr. Olabode Agoro, described the event as a critical milestone in the state’s health reform journey, stressing that the move underscores the government’s commitment to affordable, accessible, and sustainable healthcare for all residents.
Agoro explained that since the issuance of the Executive Order, strategic engagements had been undertaken to ensure smooth implementation, including a retreat with Permanent Secretaries in September 2025 and a subsequent engagement with Heads of Agencies in December 2025, aimed at securing institutional ownership and aligning MDAs with the enforcement framework.
He noted that enforcement would commence in phases, beginning with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies in the first quarter of the year, before extending to local governments, local council development areas, the formal sector, and corporate organisations across the state.
Clarifying public concerns, the HoS emphasized that enforcement was not punitive.
“This is not about arrests or sanctions; it is about advocacy, persuasion, and moral suasion,” he said.
He added that enforcement would also involve restricting access to certain government services for those who fail to enroll, similar to tax compliance requirements.
In a far-reaching directive, the HoS announced that evidence of Ilera-Eko enrollment would henceforth be mandatory during monthly staff audits, warning that salaries of officers who fail to comply would be withheld.
“The government already pays 75 per cent of the premium. We cannot afford to waste resources,” he stated.
Earlier, the Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, commended Lagos for pioneering mandatory health insurance implementation, noting that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s health sector renewal agenda and the National Health Insurance Act of 2022.
Ohiri described health insurance as a critical tool against “health poverty,” explaining that both the poor and middle-income earners remain vulnerable to catastrophic health costs without insurance.
“No Nigerian should have to sell property or borrow money in the middle of the night to save a life,” he said.
He pledged continued federal support for Lagos State, expressing optimism that the state would record millions of enrollees.
“We will be here to celebrate one million, two million, and even ten million enrollees,” he assured.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Health Management Agency, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, stated that the enforcement team was constituted pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order of July 16, 2024, which mandates social health insurance enrollment for all residents.
Zamba explained that Ilera-Eko offers actuarially designed plans to meet diverse needs, including the Standard, Standard Jaara, Standard Jaara Plus, Seniors Plan, and diaspora-focused packages, stressing that mandatory enrollment is essential for equity, sustainability, and financial protection.
She disclosed that members of the Enforcement Team had undergone specialised training at the Lagos State Law Enforcement Training Institute and would be expected to operate with professionalism, fairness, and integrity, given the public interest nature of their assignment.
Copyright PUNCH
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: health_wise@punchng.
