The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), has won the Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA) Year 2026 State Government Health Insurance of the Year Award, in recognition of its outstanding health insurance service delivery in Nigeria.
The Chairman, Advisory Board, NHEA, Dr. Anthony Omolola, in his welcome address, during the award ceremony themed “Innovation, Local Manufacturing and Digital Transformation in Healthcare” held at EKO Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, said that the NHEA Award established in Year 2014, is a platform dedicated to celebrate excellence, leadership and outstanding performance in the health sector space.
He added that the Year 2026, 12th Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award, was to reward remarkable men and women whose dedication and resilience, had continued to strengthen the healthcare system despite the challenges facing the Nation, as well as positioning recipients as market leaders in various healthcare niche in Nigeria.
Congratulating the nominees, for the highly competitive selection, he said that being nominated for the various categories of the awards, has indicated an outstanding and excellent achievement and has also clearly demonstrated a performance worthy of national recognition.
The Chairman reminded the nominees that their selection was not done 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 was not the way it used to be several years ago because it is now driven by ideas, partnership, artificial intelligence (AI), local production of devices and sustainable financing among others. These, according to him, are the resilient blocks driving healthcare services.
The Chairman appealed to nominees who did not eventually win the award, not to be discouraged rather, they should be focused and intensified more efforts so that next year, when the 13th NHEA Award, will be held, they could be among the winners.
Presenting the NHEA State Government Health Insurance of the Year Award to the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Health Management Agency (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 in ensuring that more innovations which could accelerate achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), which is the dream of the Lagos State Government, are developed.
Dr. Olugbile reminded LASHMA that more work is required from the Agency, in ensuring 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 appreciating LASHMA’s efforts in the health insurance sector space 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 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Local Government Chairmen, partners, philanthropists and other stakeholders, for supporting LASHMA in achieving the feat.
Dr. Zamba also thank 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 is on record that the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), won the award in Year 2023, shared with Katsina State in 2025 and won again in 2026.
