The Lagos State Government has introduced a new wallet-based payment solution, ILERA EasyPay, as part of efforts to expand access to its social health insurance scheme, ILERA EKO, and ease premium payments for residents.
The initiative was unveiled during the 2026 first quarter media parley organised by the Lagos State Health Management Agency at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Ikeja.
Speaking at the event, Permanent Secretary of LASHMA, Emmanuella Zamba, said ILERA EasyPay was designed to allow residents, particularly low- and middle-income earners in the informal sector, to make flexible, incremental payments toward their health insurance premiums.
According to her, the platform builds on the existing ‘pay small small’ model and addresses financial challenges faced by many Nigerians amid prevailing economic conditions.
She urged residents yet to enrol in the scheme due to financial constraints to take advantage of the new payment option, noting that it would improve access to affordable and quality healthcare services across the state.
Zamba also disclosed that the government had intensified enforcement of the executive order mandating health insurance coverage, especially across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). She added that a compliance assessment had already been conducted, enabling MDAs with public-facing services to verify residents’ enrollment status seamlessly.
The Permanent Secretary commended the Lagos State Governor for signing the Executive Order and praised the Head of Service, Olabode Agoro, for supporting enforcement efforts through the inauguration of a dedicated team, which she said had significantly boosted enrollment among public servants.
Highlighting the role of the media, Zamba revealed that LASHMA, in partnership with the International Society of Media in Public Health, trained 72 health writers in the first quarter of 2026 to enhance public awareness of the ILERA EKO programme.
A major highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to winners of the ILERA EKO Essay Competition held in public schools across the state. The competition attracted 731 entries, with 500 qualifying for assessment and 12 emerging as winners across four categories.
The winners were also decorated as ILERA EKO advocates and awarded one-year free health insurance coverage alongside their parents to promote awareness within their communities.
In his remarks, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Olanrewaju Bajulaiye, said involving students in the initiative would help deepen awareness, describing them as effective ambassadors of the scheme.
Similarly, the vice chancellor of Lagos State University, Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, represented by Salami Lukman, commended the initiative, noting that it showcased the capacity of students to contribute meaningfully to health sector development.
Also speaking, ISMPH State Programme Officer, Peace Michael, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to strengthening health journalism and commended LASHMA for extending awareness campaigns to school children.
Stakeholders at the event called for sustained publicity and wider outreach, particularly to underserved communities, to further deepen enrolment in the state’s health insurance scheme.