By Ayomide Otitoju
Lagos State has been recognised as one of Nigeria’s leading health system performers as stakeholders convened in Ikeja for the Nigeria Health System Exemplar Analysis for Action State-Level Inception Meeting, aimed at documenting the drivers behind the State’s health sector achievements.
The initiative, organised by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with Development Governance International (DGI) Consult and supported by the Gates Foundation and other partners, will examine health sector reforms and interventions implemented in Lagos between 2013 and 2023.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said the study offers an important opportunity for reflection and evidence-based assessment of the State’s health system performance. He noted that Lagos’ achievements must be viewed within the broader health ecosystem, including the private sector, which delivers a significant share of healthcare services.
He stressed the importance of collaboration between government and private providers, adding that the State continues to invest in infrastructure, workforce development, disease surveillance, digital health, public-private partnerships, and preventive care to strengthen healthcare delivery.
In her remarks, Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, said the Exemplar Analysis is a multi-phase research project designed to identify and scale successful health system practices across Nigeria. She explained that the inception meeting was convened to introduce the project framework, secure stakeholder engagement, and outline data collection strategies.
Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Dayo Lajide, highlighted key national health reforms over the past decade, including primary healthcare restructuring and the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, noting that Lagos has domesticated several federal policies to strengthen service delivery.
Managing Partner of DGI Consult, Dr. Gafar Alawode, said Lagos was selected based on clear evidence of sustained improvements in health outcomes, service coverage, and mortality reduction, adding that the study seeks to understand the policies and leadership strategies driving such performance.
Project Lead, Dr. Simisola Alabi, said Lagos emerged as an exemplar state following a national assessment of key health indicators, including child mortality, stunting, and service delivery metrics, which showed consistent improvement over time.
Speaking for the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Anthony Adoghe commended Lagos for its progress, noting that its health indicators compare favourably with those of many developed regions. He also emphasised the growing role of data-driven planning in national health reforms.
President of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria and Country Director of PharmAccess Foundation, Njide Ndili, praised Lagos State’s progress toward Universal Health Coverage and pledged private sector support for the study.
A presentation by Dr. Faith Oniyire of the Lagos State Ministry of Health highlighted major improvements over the past decade, including reductions in maternal and child mortality, expanded health insurance coverage through the Ilera Eko scheme, and advances in digital health and outbreak preparedness.
Stakeholders at the meeting agreed that the Exemplar Study would help document Lagos’ health sector transformation, strengthen institutional learning, and provide a replicable model for other states across Nigeria.
