To address the challenge, the state has unveiled a 10-year Primary Healthcare Financing Plan covering 2026 to 2036, aimed at expanding health insurance coverage, strengthening primary healthcare services, improving healthcare infrastructure, and reducing the financial burden of medical treatment on residents.
The long-term financing roadmap was unveiled during a high-level health retreat held in Lekki, bringing together government officials, health experts, development partners, policymakers, and stakeholders across the healthcare sector.
Speaking at the event, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, described the current level of health insurance coverage in Lagos as alarmingly low for a megacity with a rapidly growing population.
According to him, only about five to six per cent of Lagos residents are currently enrolled in health insurance schemes, leaving the overwhelming majority exposed to significant healthcare expenses whenever medical needs arise.
Abayomi said the state government intends to radically change the situation through aggressive healthcare financing reforms and expanded insurance enrolment.
“It will become abnormal to live in Lagos without health insurance,” he declared.
He explained that the government is targeting health insurance coverage for about 90 per cent of Lagos residents over the next decade as part of efforts to achieve universal health coverage in the state.
According to the commissioner, poor insurance coverage has continued to restrict access to quality healthcare, especially at the primary healthcare level, while also increasing pressure on secondary and tertiary hospitals that are often overwhelmed with cases that should ordinarily be managed at PHCs.
He noted that the new financing strategy would focus on building a more accessible and affordable healthcare system through sustainable financing models, upgraded health facilities, stronger community healthcare structures, workforce expansion, and improved healthcare technology.
Abayomi also raised concern over key health indicators in the state, particularly maternal and child health outcomes.
“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.
The commissioner further disclosed that malnutrition remains a major public health challenge among children in the state.
According to him, between three and four out of every 10 children in Lagos suffer from malnutrition, a development he described as unacceptable for a state with Lagos’ economic profile.
He also highlighted the growing shortage of healthcare professionals, warning that inadequate manpower continues to threaten healthcare delivery across the state.
“We have about 7,000 doctors instead of the required 30,000,” Abayomi stated.
As part of the 10-year financing plan, Lagos State plans to increase the number of fully functional primary healthcare centres from about 340 to 600 across the state. The government also intends to improve workforce capacity, strengthen healthcare infrastructure, deploy more technology-driven healthcare systems, and improve service delivery at the community level.
Speaking during the retreat, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Ibrahim Akinwunmi Mustafa, stressed the importance of transparency and accountability in the management of healthcare resources.
According to him, efficient utilisation of funds will play a critical role in determining the success of the financing plan and the sustainability of healthcare reforms in the state.
“Healthcare resources must be properly managed and transparently deployed,” he said.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Kemi Ogunyemi, emphasised the need for collaboration among stakeholders to achieve universal health coverage in Lagos.
She noted that sustained partnerships involving government agencies, development partners, local government authorities, and the private sector would be essential for the long-term success of the healthcare financing strategy.
“Achieving universal health coverage in Lagos requires strong partnerships. This financing plan provides a pathway for long-term impact,” she stated.
Development partners present at the retreat, including representatives of the World Bank-funded IMPACT Project, also stressed the need to align healthcare financing reforms with local realities and community needs.
A representative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr. Olakunle Daramola, said integrating primary healthcare priorities into local government planning would improve resource allocation, monitoring, and accountability.
Health economist Dr. Olamide Okulaja warned that Nigeria’s continued dependence on out-of-pocket healthcare spending is no longer sustainable.
According to him, about 77 per cent of healthcare spending in Nigeria is still paid directly by patients, a trend he said continues to push many households into financial hardship and poverty.
Stakeholders at the retreat agreed that expanding health insurance coverage remains one of the most critical steps toward achieving universal health coverage, reducing healthcare inequality, and improving access to affordable healthcare services for millions of Lagos residents.