Dr. Emmanuella Zamba · MBBS, MPH

Thirty years of public health practice.

Dr. Emmanuella Olutoyin Zamba (née Omogbehin), MB.BS, MPH is a Nigerian medical doctor and public health leader. She has spent twenty-five years building health systems for ministries, agencies, and operators.

Born in Germany, a native of Badagry, and the daughter of two doctors. She speaks English, Yoruba, German, and basic French.

She is also the founder of the Dìde Foundation , a Lagos-based charity working on education and healthcare for disadvantaged children.

Credentials

The qualifications, in order.

  • MB.BS — College of Medicine, University of Lagos

    Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery.

  • MPH — College of Medicine, University of Lagos

    Master of Public Health. Hunponu-Wusu Prize for Best Overall Student.

  • Harvard Business School

    Advanced executive training.

  • NIPSS — National Institute for Policy & Strategic Studies

    Strategic leadership.

Languages: English, Yoruba, German, basic French. Fellow of the Institute of Healthcare Finance and Management. Member of the Nigerian Medical Association, the Medical Women's Association of Nigeria, and the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria.

Career, in chapters.

From clinical practice to permanent secretary.

  • 2023 →

    Permanent Secretary, LASHMA

    Lagos State Health Management Agency

    Steward of the Lagos State Health Scheme. Championed the executive order on mandatory health insurance. Led the EKOSHA Rural Health Scheme, the Drug Access Expansion Programme, and the "Pay Small Small" financing product for the informal sector.

    Current

  • 2020 – 23

    General Manager, LASHMA

    Lagos State Health Management Agency

    Founded EkoTelemed during the COVID-19 pandemic — Nigeria's first state-owned telemedicine platform, later evolved into the ILERA EKO Telemedicine Plan. Designed the Diaspora Plan and the Standard Jaara Plan.

    EkoTelemed

  • 2018 – 20

    Director, Healthcare Planning, Research & Statistics

    Lagos State Ministry of Health

    Sector-wide planning, evidence-driven policy, and coordination of the Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health (RSSH) programme. The institutional reforms that prepared the ground for mandatory health insurance.

    Policy

  • 2007 – 18

    Head, Healthcare Planning Division

    Lagos State Ministry of Health

    State HRH Desk Officer; State PPP Focal Person; Training Officer for the World Bank / AfDB-assisted Health Systems Development Programme. A decade of foundational work in policy, capacity-building, and partnerships.

    Foundations

  • Earlier

    Clinical practice

    LUTH · Bolanle Specialist Hospital

    House Officer at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, then medical roles at Bolanle Specialist Hospital. The clinical grounding that shapes every policy decision since.

    Clinical

Recognised across Africa.

Hunponu-Wusu Prize for Best Overall MPH Student. Leads Africa Patriotic Amazon Award. Social Impact Public Servant of the Year. Focus Africa Award. Thomas Sankara Pan-African Leadership Award. Extraordinary Women Advancing Healthcare (EWA) Award. Africa Innovative Healthcare Brand Award.

Peer-reviewed publications on health insurance, public health systems, COVID-19, non-communicable diseases, and health system effectiveness.

Scheme recognition under her leadership

2025
Best State Health Insurance Scheme, Nigeria
2023
Best State Health Insurance Scheme, Nigeria

Working together.

Get in touch