Elegbede Abiodun
Award dedicated to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.
Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has reaffirmed its leadership in Nigeria’s health insurance sector after winning the 2026 Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA) for State Government Health Insurance of the Year, marking the Agency’s third victory in the prestigious category in recognition of its outstanding health insurance service delivery.
Receiving the award at the 12th Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Awards held on Friday 26th June, at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, the Permanent Secretary of LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, described the honour as a testament to the Agency’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that every Lagos resident has access to affordable, quality and equitable healthcare through sustainable health insurance.
Dr. Zamba expressed appreciation to the organisers for recognising LASHMA’s contributions to Nigeria’s healthcare financing landscape and dedicated the award to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Local Government Chairmen, development partners, philanthropists, stakeholders and Lagos residents for their immense support and confidence in the Agency.
She also thanked residents of the State and members of the public who voted for LASHMA, assuring them that the Agency would continue to introduce innovative initiatives that would expand health insurance coverage and guarantee unhindered access to affordable, quality and equitable healthcare services for all residents, irrespective of their socio-economic status.
Presenting the award to LASHMA, former Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Femi Olugbile, congratulated the Agency for emerging winner among five nominees, describing the recognition as a reflection of its remarkable performance in the health insurance sector.
Dr. Olugbile urged LASHMA not to relent but to intensify efforts towards developing more innovative strategies capable of accelerating the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), noting that the Agency has a critical role to play in ensuring more Lagos residents benefit from quality and affordable healthcare.
Earlier, Chairman of the NHEA Advisory Board, Dr. Anthony Omolola, said the awards, established in 2014, were designed to celebrate excellence, leadership and outstanding performance across Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
Speaking on the theme, “Innovation, Local Manufacturing and Digital Transformation in Healthcare,” Dr. Omolola noted that the healthcare industry is increasingly driven by innovation, strategic partnerships, artificial intelligence, local manufacturing and sustainable financing, describing them as key pillars for building a resilient healthcare system.
He explained that nominees and winners emerged through an independent process involving research, public voting and rigorous evaluation by the Advisory Board, stressing that every nomination was based on credibility and measurable performance.
Dr. Omolola commended all nominees for their outstanding contributions to healthcare delivery despite prevailing challenges and encouraged those who did not emerge winners to remain committed to excellence ahead of future editions of the awards.
LASHMA’s latest recognition further consolidates its position as one of Nigeria’s leading public health insurance agencies, having previously won the State Government Health Insurance of the Year Award in 2023, shared the honour with Katsina State in 2025, and reclaimed the title outright in 2026.
The Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Awards remain one of the country’s foremost platforms for recognizing institutions and professionals whose innovations and outstanding service continue to strengthen healthcare delivery and improve health outcomes nationwide.
Signed:
Tunbosun Ogunbanwo,
Director, Public Affairs,
Lagos State Ministry of Health.
