The Lagos State Government has formally inaugurated the Lagos State Health Scheme Enforcement Team, signalling the full implementation of the state’s Executive Order on mandatory social health insurance and a decisive push toward universal health coverage.
The inauguration, held on Wednesday at the Public Service Office in Alausa, Ikeja, marks a major step in enforcing compulsory enrolment under the Ilera-Eko Social Health Insurance Scheme, with the state reaffirming its commitment to ensuring that no resident is denied access to healthcare due to financial constraints
Speaking at the event, the Head of Service, Mr Olabode Agoro, described the launch of the enforcement team as a critical milestone in Lagos’ health reform agenda. He said the enforcement strategy would prioritise advocacy, persuasion and moral suasion rather than punitive measures, stressing that the initiative is not designed to criminalise residents or organisations.
Agoro explained that enforcement would commence with Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the first quarter of the year, before expanding to local governments, local council development areas and the formal and corporate sectors. He said MDAs are expected to lead by example by ensuring that all staff are enrolled in the Ilera-Eko scheme, integrating enrolment links on their websites and requiring proof of registration before services are rendered.
A major compliance measure now ties staff audits and salary payments to Ilera-Eko enrolment. According to the Head of Service, officers who fail to present evidence of enrolment during monthly audits risk having their salaries withheld. He noted that with government already covering 75 per cent of the insurance premium, non-compliance amounts to a waste of public resources and undermines the objectives of the scheme.
Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Health Management Agency, Dr Emmanuella Zamba, said the Enforcement Team was constituted in line with the governor’s Executive Order issued on 16 July 2024. She disclosed that members of the team have undergone specialised training at the Lagos State Law Enforcement Training Institute to ensure professionalism, fairness and integrity in carrying out their duties.
Zamba said the Ilera-Eko scheme offers multiple actuarially designed plans, including options for low-income earners, senior citizens and Lagos residents in the diaspora. According to her, the range of plans is designed to promote equity, financial protection and long-term sustainability of the state’s health insurance system.
The Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority, Dr Kelechi Ohiri, commended Lagos for taking the lead on mandatory health insurance, describing it as a powerful tool for tackling what he termed “health poverty.” He said both low-income and middle-income earners remain exposed to catastrophic healthcare costs without insurance coverage, adding that no Nigerian should be forced to sell assets or incur debt to access medical care. Ohiri pledged continued federal support for Lagos’ enrolment and enforcement efforts.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on the Parastatal Monitoring Office, Hon Ibrahim Obanikoro, urged civil servants and residents to fully embrace the scheme, noting that health insurance provides critical financial relief during medical emergencies. The Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Office, Mrs Sunkanmi Oyegbola, reiterated that proof of enrolment will be mandatory during monthly audits and pay-at-site exercises, warning that salary payments will be strictly tied to compliance.
With the inauguration of the Enforcement Team, Lagos State has effectively moved from voluntary participation to structured compliance. Monthly enforcement reports will be submitted to the Office of the Head of Service, while the team will oversee implementation across MDAs, local governments and corporate organisations, reinforcing the state’s ambition to expand universal health coverage and protect residents from the financial risks of ill health.
