The Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority has secured a free health insurance package for 1,320 residents across the three senatorial districts of Lagos State, in a move aimed at expanding access to affordable healthcare. The one-year health insurance scheme, offered under the ILERA EKO initiative in partnership with the Lagos State Health Management Agency, covers 360 individual beneficiaries and 240 families.
Key Highlights
- 1,320 Lagos residents benefit from free health insurance
- Scheme covers 360 individuals and 240 families
- Each family receives coverage for up to four members
- Programme executed across Lagos Central, East, and West
- Beneficiaries also received free health screenings
Each family is entitled to coverage for four members, bringing the total number of individuals reached under the family plan to 960, and the overall number of beneficiaries to 1,320.
Speaking during the official rollout on Monday, the Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, Bashir Are, emphasised the importance of accessible healthcare and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving residents’ wellbeing through targeted interventions.
According to him, the exercise was conducted simultaneously across designated centres in Lagos Central, Lagos East, and Lagos West over the weekend. The Lagos Central exercise was held within a Local Council Area, Lagos East at the Ikorodu Local Government Office, and Lagos West at the Agege Youth Centre.
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Are stated that the agency fully covered the cost of beneficiaries’ health insurance subscriptions for one year, describing the initiative as a first-of-its-kind intervention. He added that, following the success of the programme, the agency would seek approval to sustain and possibly expand it in subsequent years.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of LASHMA, Emmanuella Zamba, outlined the wide range of healthcare services available under the scheme. She encouraged beneficiaries to take full advantage of the opportunity and assured them of access to quality care at accredited hospitals across the state.
Goodwill messages were delivered by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority matters, as well as the Deputy Chairman of the APC in Lagos State, both of whom described the initiative as a people-focused intervention aligned with the state’s healthcare agenda.
In addition to insurance enrolment, beneficiaries received free basic health screenings at all centres, including blood pressure checks and fasting blood sugar tests. This, organisers said, reflects a strong emphasis on preventive healthcare.
The initiative comes at a time of rising healthcare costs and ongoing efforts by the Lagos State Government to expand access to affordable healthcare through ILERA EKO. Officials say it represents a step toward achieving universal health coverage and improving the quality of life for residents.
