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The short answer
An HMO plan gives your parents care at a list of hospitals in Nigeria in return for a yearly or periodic premium, which you can usually pay from abroad by transfer or online. Before paying, check the plan's age limit, how it treats pre-existing conditions such as hypertension, its waiting periods, which hospitals near your parents are listed, and that the HMO is accredited by the NHIA.
How an HMO plan works
A Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) collects premiums and pays a network of hospitals and clinics to treat its members. Your parent registers with a primary hospital from the HMO's list and goes there first. For specialist care, scans or admission, the hospital usually asks the HMO for an authorisation code before treating. The plan sets what is covered, any annual limits, and what the member pays out of pocket.
This is different from the cover your parents may have in Spain if they visit: a Nigerian HMO plan works only in Nigeria. Reliance HMO's published exclusions for one of its plans, for example, list "all medical expenses incurred outside Nigeria".
What to check on a plan for older parents
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Age limit | Many standard plans exclude older adults. Reliance HMO's small business plan exclusions list adults over 65 outside the eligible age range. Seniors plans exist for this reason. |
| Pre-existing conditions | Hypertension, diabetes and arthritis are common. Ask in writing whether they are covered and from when. |
| Waiting periods | Some plans cover chronic conditions only after a wait. |
| Hospital list | Check which listed hospitals are near your parents and whether they are ones your parents would use. |
| Drugs | Ask whether monthly medication is covered or only treatment episodes. |
| Annual limit and exclusions | Surgery, dental, optical and some scans are often limited or excluded. |
| Renewal terms | Ask whether the premium rises with age and whether the HMO can decline renewal. |
As one example of what a seniors plan can look like, Bastion HMO's own blog (25 Feb 2026) describes a Seniors Plan for people aged 55 and over that covers pre-existing conditions such as hypertension and diabetes with no waiting period for chronic care, priced at ₦290,109, ₦461,554 and ₦1,068,507 a year across three tiers. That is the company's marketing, not an independent review, and we have not checked its NHIA status; we cite it only so you know what to compare.
Check the HMO before you pay
HMOs in Nigeria are regulated by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA). Check the NHIA's list of accredited HMOs on its own site before paying any premium. Service quality also varies: the NHIA's 2024 complaints report, reported by the ICIR on 30 Jun 2025, said 47 HMOs were sanctioned, with problems including delays or denials of referral authorisation codes. Ask friends and family which HMOs have paid promptly at the hospitals your parents use, and ask the hospital itself which HMOs it accepts without trouble.
Paying the premium from Spain
- Get the plan document, premium and payment details from the HMO in writing, in the HMO's business name.
- Confirm whether the premium is annual, quarterly or monthly, and whether paying annually is cheaper.
- Pay to the HMO's business account or through its official online channel, with your parent's name and plan in the reference.
- Ask for a receipt and the membership details or card for each parent.
- Set a reminder a month before renewal. A lapsed plan may restart waiting periods.
Bastion's page mentions paying from abroad but does not say which cards or currencies it accepts; most HMOs quote and collect in naira. If the HMO's online payment does not take your Spanish card, converting euros and paying from a naira account is the reliable route.
Making the plan usable from abroad
A plan only helps if your parents can use it when they are unwell and you are asleep in Spain. Before the cover starts, make sure each parent has their membership number or card, the HMO's call centre number saved on their phone, and the name of their primary hospital. Ask the HMO whether it will speak to you as the payer about claims or authorisation codes, and give it your contact details. Visit the primary hospital with your parents, or ask a sibling to, so the registration is done before it is needed.
What a plan will not cover
Even a good plan leaves gaps: some drugs, some surgery, and any care outside the network. Many families keep a separate naira fund for these, rather than waiting for an emergency. See paying hospital bills in Nigeria from Spain for what to do when a bill falls outside the plan, and paying for parents' monthly medication from abroad.
A worked example
An example family covers two parents on a plan costing ₦460,000 a year each, so ₦920,000. At an example rate of ₦1,650 per euro that is about €557.58 a year, or about €46.46 a month if you set it aside monthly. They also keep ₦300,000 aside for uncovered costs, about €181.82 at the same example rate.
Where Pryme fits
From a Pryme account you can convert euros with Swap and pay the HMO in naira. The app shows the rate and the fee before you approve. A Savings Box can hold the uncovered-care fund in naira, and the Personal Assistant can remind you before renewal; nothing moves without your approval.
Questions people ask
Can I buy health insurance for my parents in Nigeria from Spain?
Yes. HMOs sell plans to family members abroad; you choose the plan, register your parents and pay the premium by transfer or the HMO's online channel.
Do HMO plans cover elderly parents with high blood pressure?
Some seniors plans say they cover pre-existing conditions such as hypertension. Get it in writing, including any waiting period, before you pay.
How do I know if an HMO is genuine?
Check the NHIA's list of accredited HMOs on the NHIA's own site, ask the hospital which HMOs it accepts, and pay only to the HMO's business account.
Does a Nigerian HMO cover my parents when they visit me in Spain?
No. Nigerian HMO plans cover care in Nigeria. Visitors to Spain need travel medical insurance that meets visa rules.
Sources
- Bastion HMO: how the Seniors Plan works (25 Feb 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Reliance HMO: small business plan exclusions · accessed Oct 2026
- ICIR: NHIA sanctions 49 health facilities and 47 HMOs (30 Jun 2025) · 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.