Only 6% of Lagosians insured as State unveils health reform roadmap

By Chidinma Oparaochekwe

The Lagos State Government has raised concern over the extremely low level of health insurance coverage in the state, warning that millions of residents remain financially vulnerable to medical emergencies and basic healthcare costs.

To tackle the challenge, the state has unveiled a 10-year Primary Healthcare (PHC) Financing Plan, 2026-2036, aimed at expanding health insurance coverage, strengthening primary healthcare services and reducing the burden of out-of-pocket medical expenses on residents.

The financing roadmap was unveiled during a high-level health retreat in Lekki attended by government officials, health experts, development partners and stakeholders in the healthcare sector.

Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, described the current health insurance coverage in Lagos as critically low for a megacity of its size and population.

According to him, only about five to six percent of Lagos residents are currently covered by health insurance, leaving the majority exposed to heavy healthcare costs.

“It will become abnormal to live in Lagos without health insurance,” Abayomi declared, stressing that expanding insurance coverage to about 90 per cent of residents is a major target of the new healthcare financing reform.

He explained that inadequate insurance coverage has continued to limit access to quality healthcare, particularly at the primary healthcare level, while also increasing pressure on secondary and tertiary hospitals.

The commissioner noted that the state’s long-term strategy would focus on making healthcare more accessible and affordable through improved financing systems, upgraded facilities and stronger community-based healthcare structures.

“We are not proud that about 430 women die per 100,000 live births. There should be no woman dying in childbirth in Lagos,” he said.

He further disclosed that between three and four out of every 10 children in Lagos suffer from malnutrition, while the shortage of medical professionals continues to threaten healthcare delivery.

“We have about 7,000 doctors instead of the required 30,000,” he added.

Under the financing plan, Lagos intends to increase the number of fully functional primary healthcare centres from about 340 to 600 across the state, while also improving workforce capacity and healthcare technology.

The Permanent Secretary Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Ibrahim Akinwunmi Mustafa, said transparent and accountable management of healthcare resources would be crucial to achieving the objectives of the plan.

managed and transparently deployed,” he said.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Kemi Ogunyemi, said achieving universal health coverage in Lagos would require sustained collaboration among government agencies, development partners and local councils.

“Achieving universal health coverage in Lagos requires strong partnerships. This financing plan provides a pathway for long-term impact,” she stated.

Development partners at the retreat including World Bank funded IMPACT Project, also stressed the need to align healthcare financing with local realities. A representative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr. Olakunle Daramola, noted that integrating primary healthcare priorities into local government planning would improve resource allocation and monitoring.

Health economist Dr. Olamide Okulaja warned that Nigeria’s overreliance on out-of-pocket healthcare spending remains unsustainable.

According to him, about 77 per cent of healthcare spending in the country is still paid directly by patients, a development he said continues to push many households into financial hardship.

Stakeholders at the retreat agreed that expanding health insurance coverage remains one of the most critical steps toward achieving universal health coverage and improving healthcare access for millions of Lagos resident

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