Lagos State has announced a new phase of healthcare reforms aimed at building a world-class, technology-driven and inclusive health system. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu made this known at the maiden edition of the Eko Health Convention 2025, held at The Jewel Aeida, Lekki, where government officials, health experts and development partners gathered to review progress and set future priorities for the state’s health sector.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, said Lagos is “rewriting the story of healthcare in the 21st century” through deliberate investments in infrastructure, digital innovation, and universal health coverage. He highlighted key milestones achieved in recent years, including the commissioning of Maternal and Child Centres in Eti-Osa, Badagry and Epe, the establishment of new general hospitals in Ojo and Somolu, and the creation of the Lagos State Mental Health Institute in Ketu-Ejirin.
Sanwo-Olu noted that Lagos’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic and biosecurity investments have positioned the state as a regional leader in epidemic preparedness. Facilities such as the Mainland Hospital and the Yaba Biobank, as well as the planned International Infectious Disease Research Centre, were described as critical to Lagos’ health resilience. Digital tools like electronic medical records and the Lagos Smart Health Information Platform (SHIP), he added, are modernising service delivery across public hospitals.
On healthcare financing, Sanwo-Olu reaffirmed that mandatory health insurance remains central to the state’s plan to achieve universal health coverage. He explained that the ILERA EKO scheme and a 2024 Executive Order making insurance compulsory for all residents will help protect citizens from financial hardship. He also revealed plans to expand subsidies for vulnerable groups and increase insurance enrolment through pharmacies and markets to reach 15 percent coverage in the coming years.
He further highlighted efforts to strengthen emergency response and human resources, including the recruitment of over 3,000 staff, the introduction of a paramedic cadre, and the addition of 28 ambulances and 10 rapid-response motorbikes. New ambulance bases have been strategically located to improve response times, while the newly opened Custodian Accident and Emergency Centre in Epe provides critical support for communities in the eastern corridor.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, said the convention marks a new chapter of collaboration and innovation in the state’s health sector. She emphasised the government’s commitment to universal access, strengthened public-private partnerships, and citizen empowerment. “Government cannot do it alone,” she said, calling for active participation from stakeholders across all levels.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, in a technical presentation titled Bricks and Bytes: Infrastructure Transformation of Lagos Healthcare, detailed the state’s blueprint for modernising health facilities and digitising services. He explained that flagship projects such as the New Massey Children’s Hospital, the Iba-Ojo General Hospital, the Lagos State Mental Health Institute and the Comprehensive Cancer Institute were designed to deliver climate-resilient, world-class healthcare.
He also announced the phased rollout of the Lagos Smart Health Information Platform (SHIP), which will connect public health facilities through electronic records, telemedicine and real-time analytics. Plans are also underway to establish a University of Medicine and Health Sciences and a Medical Industries and Innovation Centre to boost training and biomedical production.
Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, underscored the state’s commitment to ensuring equitable access for all Lagos residents, highlighting financing, infrastructure renewal, and quality service delivery as key drivers of universal health coverage. He disclosed upgrades to the LASAMBUS emergency system, including motorbike ambulances and electronic tracking of blood and medicines.
Dr. Bodunrin Osikomaiya, Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service, presented the Digital Blood initiative a real-time inventory system that uses barcodes and QR codes to trace blood from donor to recipient. She said the platform enables Lagos to mobilise and distribute blood efficiently, saving more lives.
The event was attended by representatives of the World Health Organization, pharmaceutical companies, and health technology startups, alongside other development partners and private sector actors, who explored areas of collaboration in research, training, and service delivery innovations that can scale across communities.
The convention ended with a renewed commitment by stakeholders to collaborate in building a resilient, inclusive and digitally connected health system that ensures no Lagos resident is left behind.
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