The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has, for the third time, won the 2026 Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award as State Government Health Insurance of the Year, recognising its outstanding health insurance service delivery in Nigeria.
Dr. Anthony Omolola, Chairman of the NHEA Advisory Board, said the Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award, established in 2014, celebrates excellence, leadership and outstanding performance in Nigeria's health sector.
The remarks were made in his welcome address at the award ceremony, themed "Innovation, Local Manufacturing and Digital Transformation in Healthcare," held at EKO Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island.
He added that the 12th Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award in 2026 was to reward remarkable men and women whose dedication and resilience have continued to strengthen the healthcare system despite the challenges facing the Nation. The award also aims to position recipients as market leaders in various healthcare niches in Nigeria.
Congratulating the nominees for the highly competitive selection, he said that being nominated for the various categories of the awards indicates outstanding achievement and clearly demonstrates performance worthy of national recognition.
The Chairman reminded the nominees that their selection was not made by an individual but through research, public voting and rigorous evaluation, among others, by the independent advisory board. He said, “Every nomination is based on credibility.”
Commenting on the theme for the year, Dr. Omolola said that healthcare is not what it was several years ago because it is now driven by ideas, partnerships, artificial intelligence (AI), local device production, and sustainable financing, among others. These, according to him, are the resilient blocks driving healthcare services.
The Chairman appealed to nominees who did not win the award not to be discouraged. Rather, they should focus and intensify efforts so that next year, when the 13th NHEA Award will be held, they can be among the winners.
Presenting the NHEA State Government Health Insurance of the Year Award to the Permanent Secretary, LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, the former and retired Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Femi Olugbile, congratulated LASHMA for winning the award out of the five nominees selected for the award.
He said that with the award, LASHMA should intensify its efforts to ensure that more innovations that could accelerate the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the dream of the Lagos State Government, are developed.
Dr. Olugbile reminded LASHMA that more work is required from the Agency to ensure that Lagos residents have unhindered access to affordable, quality and equitable healthcare services in the State.
The Permanent Secretary, LASHMA, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, in her response, appreciated NHEA for recognising LASHMA’s efforts in the health insurance sector and for deeming it fit to consider LASHMA as the winner of the award.
She applauded the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, Honourable members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Local Government Chairmen, partners, philanthropists and other stakeholders for supporting LASHMA in achieving the feat.
Dr. Zamba also thanked Lagos residents and everyone who voted for the Agency. She promised that LASHMA would do its best to ensure that residents in the State have access to affordable, quality and equitable healthcare services irrespective of their socio-economic status.
It will be recalled that the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) won the award in 2023, shared it with Katsina State in 2025, and won again in 2026.
