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By Bilkis Abdulraheem Lawal
Months after a report by Bilkis Abdulraheem Lawal highlighted how the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) was aligning the ILERA EKO Health Insurance Scheme with Nigeria’s evolving Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) ecosystem, the agency has introduced a new digital payment solution aimed at making health insurance more affordable and accessible for residents.
The earlier report examined how LASHMA was leveraging digital identity systems, phone numbers and government databases to improve health insurance enrolment, verification and service delivery. It also detailed the agency’s deployment of digital innovations designed to simplify access to healthcare for Lagos residents.
Building on those reforms, LASHMA has launched ILERA EKO EasyPay, a flexible payment platform that allows residents, particularly small business owners and those without stable monthly incomes, to pay their health insurance premiums in instalments.
The initiative was unveiled during the agency’s first-quarter media parley at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Alausa, Ikeja, where officials said the innovation is intended to eliminate financial barriers that have prevented many Lagosians from enrolling in the state health insurance scheme.
Head of Business Development at LASHMA, Mr Olatunji Rotimi, described EasyPay as a payment solution that reflects the earning pattern of many residents.
According to him, the platform enables users to make gradual payments, similar to purchasing airtime, while allowing them to conveniently monitor their contributions through their mobile phones.
Permanent Secretary of LASHMA, Dr Emmanuella Zamba, said the initiative forms part of the agency’s broader digital transformation agenda to improve healthcare access amid prevailing economic realities.
She explained that EasyPay also supports the Lagos State Government’s mandatory health insurance policy under the ILERA EKO scheme by ensuring that residents can comply with the enrolment requirement without facing significant financial hardship.
Officials added that enforcement of the mandatory health insurance policy is continuing across government institutions, corporate organisations and the informal sector, while the new payment option is expected to encourage greater enrolment and strengthen the state’s journey towards universal health coverage.
The introduction of EasyPay marks another milestone in LASHMA’s ongoing digital transformation efforts and demonstrates how recommendations and innovations highlighted in the earlier DPI-focused report are translating into practical solutions that expand healthcare access for Lagos residents.
