Lagos Sets December 31 Deadline for Mandatory Health Insurance

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has given residents, employers and workers until December 31, 2026, to obtain health insurance coverage. Enforcement of mandatory coverage will begin on January 1, 2027.

The governor announced the deadline on Tuesday while launching the Lagos Private Health Plans, an initiative designed to extend insurance to salary earners and corporate organisations. The scheme complements the existing Ilera Eko programme, which serves vulnerable residents and workers in the informal sector.

“When that mother walks into the hospital in Lagos State next year, she will show her card. She will receive care, and she will keep her money for her journey back home.”

The policy was introduced under Executive Order EO/BOS/01/2024. It aims to reduce dependence on out-of-pocket payments for medical treatment and protect households from financial hardship caused by illness.

The launch was attended by healthcare practitioners, health maintenance organisations, government officials and other stakeholders from the public and private sectors. Sanwo-Olu said every resident, employer and worker in Lagos is required to have social health insurance.

The governor said many families struggle to pay hospital bills from the same income needed for rent, school fees and other essential expenses. He added that the new arrangement would enable residents to access medical care without paying the full cost of treatment out of pocket.

Sanwo-Olu explained that Ilera Eko serves the informal sector and the vulnerable, while the Lagos Private Health Plans serve the formal sector. He said there is now a plan offered by the state for every Lagosian, whether formal, informal or vulnerable.