LASHMA’s triple crown: Lagos health insurer tops national rankings again
By Chioma Obinna
The Lagos State Health Management Agency has reinforced its dominance in Nigeria’s public health insurance space after clinching the 2026 Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA) for State Government Health Insurance of the Year, marking its third major win in the category.
The latest recognition, announced at the 12th edition of the NHEA held in Lagos, underscores LASHMA’s growing role in driving universal health coverage and expanding access to affordable healthcare in Lagos.
With previous wins in 2023 and a shared victory with Katsina State in 2025, the 2026 award cements the agency’s position as one of Nigeria’s leading state-backed health insurance providers.
Speaking at the award ceremony themed “Innovation, Local Manufacturing and Digital Transformation in Healthcare,” Chairman of the NHEA Advisory Board, Dr. Anthony Omolola, said the awards, established in 2014, were designed to celebrate excellence, leadership and outstanding performance in Nigeria’s health sector.
According to him, the 2026 edition recognised remarkable individuals and institutions whose resilience and commitment have continued to strengthen the nation’s healthcare system despite prevailing challenges.
“Healthcare is no longer what it used to be several years ago. Today, it is driven by ideas, partnerships, artificial intelligence, local manufacturing of devices and sustainable financing. These are the resilient blocks driving healthcare services,” Omolola said.
He stressed that the nomination and selection process was based on research, public voting and rigorous independent evaluation.
“Every nomination is based on credibility,” he added.
Presenting the award to the Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Health Management Agency, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, former Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Femi Olugbile, urged the agency to intensify efforts towards achieving universal health coverage in Lagos.
He said the recognition should serve as motivation for greater innovation and stronger service delivery.
“This award is not the end. More work is required to ensure Lagos residents continue to have unhindered access to affordable, quality and equitable healthcare services,” Olugbile said.
In her response, Zamba described the award as a validation of LASHMA’s commitment to strengthening health insurance delivery in the state.
She thanked Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, local government chairmen, development partners, philanthropists and other stakeholders for their support.
She also appreciated Lagos residents for their confidence in the agency and for voting during the award process.
“We appreciate NHEA for recognising our efforts in the health insurance sector. This honour will inspire us to do more in ensuring that Lagos residents, irrespective of their socio-economic status, have access to affordable, quality and equitable healthcare,” Zamba said.
The award comes at a time when healthcare financing remains a critical issue in Nigeria, with experts increasingly pointing to health insurance as a key pillar for achieving sustainable and inclusive healthcare access.