On April 1, 2025, Nigerian politician and former Labour Party gubernatorial candidate for Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, sharply criticized Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s recent Executive Order requiring all Lagos residents to contribute ₦15,000 monthly to the Social Health Insurance Scheme.
In a detailed post on X, he argued that the policy is regressive and out of touch with the financial realities of most Lagosians, while also drawing attention to the state’s struggling healthcare system. His remarks have reignited discussions about declaring a state of emergency to address Lagos’ chronic healthcare deficiencies and underfunding.
Rhodes-Vivour, an architect and public policy expert, has long advocated for equitable healthcare.
In 2022, he partnered with WellaHealth to provide free medical check-ups and insurance for Lagos residents with voter cards, promoting both healthcare access and civic participation. Drawing from this experience, he criticized the flat-rate insurance scheme for disproportionately burdening low-income earners, noting that ₦15,000 accounts for nearly 20% of the minimum wage, making it unsustainable. Instead, he proposed a proportional 5% income-based contribution to ensure fairer cost distribution while maintaining adequate funding. However, he stressed that healthcare system reforms must come first, warning against prioritizing funding over service improvements.
Citing a 2016 report, Rhodes-Vivour highlighted Lagos’ critical shortage of healthcare professionals, with alarmingly high patient-to-doctor ratios far exceeding WHO recommendations. He compared this to Singapore’s strategic improvements, underscoring Lagos’ failure to prioritize healthcare workforce expansion. The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Lagos supports these concerns, with its chairman, Babajide Saheed, revealing that the state has only 8,200 doctors across public and private hospitals—far below the 30,000 needed for its over 20 million residents. He attributed this crisis to poor wages and inadequate medical infrastructure, which have driven many doctors abroad.
Rhodes-Vivour also condemned Lagos State’s failure to meet the 15% healthcare budget allocation set by the 2014 Abuja Declaration, pointing out that only 6.75% was allocated in 2024. He cited a 2021 Devex report showing that Nigeria has consistently fallen short of this target, with per capita health spending significantly lagging behind high-income nations.
His critique sparked widespread debate online. Supporters praised his call for a fairer system, while skeptics questioned whether a 5% contribution would be sufficient. Others rejected any mandatory payments, citing economic hardship. Beyond funding concerns, Rhodes-Vivour emphasized the need for substantial investments in healthcare personnel, infrastructure, and equipment. He urged the Sanwo-Olu administration to improve salaries, career development opportunities, and hospital facilities to ensure real healthcare improvements rather than adding another financial burden on residents.
As the healthcare crisis deepens, calls for a state of emergency continue to grow. Rhodes-Vivour stressed the importance of engaging healthcare professionals, economic experts, and community leaders to develop a more sustainable approach to universal health coverage. His intervention has put Lagos’ healthcare system under intense scrutiny, pressing the government for meaningful action. Whether the Sanwo-Olu administration will respond with substantive reforms remains uncertain, but the urgency of the crisis can no longer be ignored.
