Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced the deadline on Tuesday while launching the enforcement of mandatory health insurance under Executive Order EO/BOS/01 of 2024. The state also unveiled the Lagos Private Health Plans, a new initiative designed to extend health insurance coverage to salaried employees and corporate organisations. The plans will complement the existing Ilera Eko scheme, which provides coverage for vulnerable residents and people working in the informal sector.

Speaking at the launch in Victoria Island, Sanwo-Olu said the policy was intended to ensure that residents could access quality healthcare without being pushed into financial hardship by medical expenses.

He explained that the executive order places responsibilities on residents, employers and the government, with individuals and workers expected to have health insurance coverage and employers required to make appropriate arrangements for their staff.

The governor stressed that employers should treat workers’ healthcare as a necessary business expense, alongside other employment obligations such as pension contributions.

On emergency medical services, Sanwo-Olu said healthcare providers must not deny patients urgent treatment because they lack money or insurance documentation. He emphasised that emergency patients should first receive the necessary stabilisation before payment and insurance issues are addressed.

The governor also disclosed that 21 health maintenance organisations had agreed to participate in the Lagos Private Health Plans. He described the arrangement as a collaboration between the state government and private operators to increase insurance enrolment and strengthen healthcare delivery.

He further appealed to medical professionals considering leaving Nigeria to reconsider, expressing hope that improved healthcare financing would create a more sustainable environment for practitioners.

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, said advances in medical technology, including artificial intelligence, robotic systems and modern diagnostic equipment, had contributed to the rising cost of healthcare.

Abayomi said an inclusive health insurance system was increasingly important to protect households from escalating medical bills while helping healthcare facilities sustain service delivery. He described the initiative as a significant step away from a system that relies heavily on patients paying directly for treatment.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Lagos State Health Management Agency, Dr Adebayo Adedewe, disclosed that the state had increased its Health Equity Fund from ₦1 billion to ₦3 billion.

According to Adedewe, the expanded fund is intended to support health insurance coverage for more than 500,000 vulnerable residents who cannot afford the required premiums.

He said the agency would continue to increase enrolment, raise public awareness and work with community groups to ensure residents understand and benefit from the policy.

LASHMA has also stepped up public engagement through radio campaigns, billboards, digital platforms and partnerships with traditional rulers, market associations, transport unions and other grassroots organisations.

With enforcement scheduled to begin in January 2027, residents and employers have until the end of December to make the necessary arrangements. The success of the policy will depend on effective enrolment, public awareness and the availability of accessible healthcare services across the state.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia