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The short answer
Many Nigerians in Ghana keep private cover alongside the National Health Insurance Scheme, because NHIS is a basic public scheme and employers, schools and permit applications can set their own requirements. If you are formally employed, 2.5 percentage points of the 13.5% your employer remits to SSNIT go to the National Health Insurance Authority, but that payment is not the same as an active NHIS membership card, and it does not tell you what is covered.
Health cover is one of those questions that only becomes urgent at the worst moment. For a Nigerian living in Ghana the choice is usually between relying on Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme, buying private health insurance, or holding both. This article sets out what we could confirm from official and professional sources, what we could not, and how to make the decision without guessing.
How the public scheme is paid for
If you work for an employer in Ghana, part of your pension deduction funds the health scheme. SSNIT's own FAQ says the worker contributes 5.5% of basic salary and the employer 13%, a total of 18.5%. Of the 13.5% the employer remits to SSNIT, the FAQ says 2.5% goes to the National Health Insurance Authority, and the remaining 5% goes to the mandatory second-tier occupational scheme. PwC's Ghana summary, reviewed in March 2026, gives the same 5.5% and 13% rates.
There is also a 2.5% National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL) on taxable supplies, listed by PwC alongside VAT. You pay that every time you buy standard-rated goods or services from a VAT-registered business, whether or not you are covered.
What we could not confirm
We set out to source three points and could not do so from pages we opened for this article. Rather than fill the gap from memory, here is what to ask:
- Whether non-citizens can register and on what documents. Our separate guide on NHIS registration as a foreigner covers this; check the NHIA directly for today's rules.
- What NHIS covers and excludes. The benefit package and exclusions list belong to the NHIA. Ask for the current list in writing at the district office or on its official channels.
- Whether your permit or employer requires private cover. Ghana Immigration Service checklists and employment contracts set their own conditions. Read the checklist for your permit type and your contract, rather than assuming either way.
When private cover tends to make sense
Without assuming anything about NHIS benefits, the situations where private health insurance usually earns its cost are predictable:
- Your employer offers a group plan. If the company pays most of the premium, take it; read the hospital network list first.
- You have a long-term condition and need specialist care or regular medicine from specific hospitals.
- You have children in school, and the school asks for evidence of cover.
- You travel between Ghana and Nigeria often and want cover, or at least emergency evacuation, that works in both.
- Your permit checklist or contract asks for it.
How to compare private plans
Private plans in Ghana are sold by insurers and health maintenance-style providers, and they differ in ways that matter more than the headline premium. Ask each provider the same questions and get the answers in writing:
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Which hospitals are in network in your city? | A cheap plan is useless if your nearest good hospital is outside it. |
| What is excluded, and what are the waiting periods? | Pre-existing conditions and maternity often have waiting periods. |
| Is there an annual limit per person? | A low cap can run out after one admission. |
| Does it cover treatment or evacuation to Nigeria? | Matters if you would want treatment at home. |
| How are claims paid: direct to hospital or reimbursed? | Reimbursement means you pay first and wait. |
| What happens to cover if you change job or leave Ghana? | Group plans usually end with employment. |
A worked example of the trade-off
Example only, with made-up numbers: Tolu earns a basic salary of GH¢8,000 a month in Accra. Using SSNIT's stated rates, her employer pays 13% (GH¢1,040) and she pays 5.5% (GH¢440), so GH¢1,480 goes towards social security. Of the employer's remittance to SSNIT, 2.5% of her basic salary (GH¢200) goes to the NHIA. Her employer also offers a private group plan for which she would pay part of the premium. Whether that is worth it depends on the network list and exclusions, not on the NHIA payment, which happens either way.
Family back in Nigeria
If you are also paying for parents' care in Nigeria, that is a separate decision under Nigeria's own health insurance system. See health insurance for parents in Nigeria from Ghana and paying a hospital bill in Nigeria from Ghana.
Where Pryme fits
If you pay a premium or a hospital bill in naira for family at home, a Pryme account holds naira alongside dollars, pounds and euros, and Send shows the fee before you approve. A verifiable receipt gives the hospital or insurer proof that the payment is genuine.
Questions people ask
Does SSNIT pay for my NHIS?
SSNIT's FAQ says 2.5% of the employer's 13.5% remittance goes to the National Health Insurance Authority. Your membership and card status are confirmed by the NHIA, not by your payslip.
Is private health insurance compulsory in Ghana for foreigners?
We could not confirm a general rule. Check your Ghana Immigration Service permit checklist and your employment contract, which can set their own requirements.
What should I check before buying private cover in Accra?
The hospital network, exclusions and waiting periods, the annual limit, how claims are paid and whether cover extends to Nigeria.
Can I use NHIS and private insurance together?
Many people hold both. Ask your private insurer how it treats care that NHIS also covers.
Sources
- SSNIT: Frequently asked questions · accessed Oct 2026
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Ghana, other taxes (reviewed 11 Mar 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.