Lagos State Government has called for stronger partnerships, seamless health information systems, sustainable financing and responsible use of artificial intelligence as it moves to build a digital health economy capable of improving healthcare delivery and driving medical innovation.

The call was made at the Eko Health Convention 2026 in Lagos, where health experts, government officials, technology innovators and development partners explored how digital technology and partnerships could strengthen the state’s health system.

The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said Lagos must prioritise high-quality health data, describing it as critical to precision medicine, scientific research, innovation and economic growth.

He said the Lagos Smart Health Information Platform (SHIP) would provide the foundation for connecting patient records, laboratory investigations, biological information and other health data, enabling the state to use artificial intelligence and machine learning for better diagnosis, research, disease surveillance and health planning.

“Data has become king,” Abayomi said, stressing that digital health infrastructure was increasingly as important as roads, electricity, telecommunications and financial infrastructure.

According to him, Lagos’ digital-health agenda would support the development of a broader bioeconomy encompassing biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, genomics, artificial intelligence and biosciences.

He said initiatives including the proposed University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Lagos State Medical, Industrial and Innovation Zone and Lagos BioShield were designed to strengthen medical manufacturing, research, workforce development and preparedness for future health emergencies.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, however, cautioned that digital transformation must remain people-centred.

She said the Ebola outbreak and COVID-19 pandemic exposed the dangers of fragmented health information, with patients moving between facilities without their medical histories following them.

Ogunyemi said SHIP would help move Lagos from isolated facility-based records to an integrated system capable of supporting surveillance, artificial intelligence, trend analysis and better allocation of resources.

“Government cannot do it alone,” she said, urging collaboration among the private sector, technology companies, healthcare professionals, communities and development partners.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr Adeyinka Shorungbe, called for seamless information exchange across primary, secondary, tertiary and private facilities so patients can access their records wherever they receive care.

He also urged healthcare professionals to work with innovators to develop practical solutions, while stressing the importance of cybersecurity, data governance, workforce training and sustainable funding.

Mobihealth International CEO, Dr Funmi Adewara, advocated a “click-and-brick” model combining telemedicine with physical healthcare facilities. She called for reimbursement of telemedicine services through Ilera Eko and interoperability with SHIP.

Stakeholders also demanded stronger local ownership of health programmes, community participation, disability inclusion, improved surveillance and long-term financing.

The convention underscored that Lagos’ next health gains will depend not merely on acquiring technology but on connecting systems, protecting patient data, training workers, financing innovations and measuring their impact.

Executive Secretary, Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service, Dr Bodunrin Osikomaiya, said the convention had moved the conversation from innovation to integration, calling for stronger referral systems, institutionalisation of successful innovations and greater attention to citizens’ experiences.

“EHC 2026 may be ending, but EHC 2027 begins tomorrow,” she said.

This version prioritises the call to action, patient benefits, interoperability, AI, financing and long-term public-health gains while keeping the main messages and key quotes.

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