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The short answer
In Nigeria, health insurance runs through HMOs and state health insurance agencies under the NHIA Act 2022: you pay a premium, your parent registers with a chosen hospital, and the HMO pays that hospital for covered care. Before buying from Canada, check the hospital list near your parents, waiting periods and pre-existing condition rules (Edo's scheme, for example, covers pre-existing conditions only after six months), co-payments and how referrals are authorised.
Paying hospital bills one emergency at a time is the most expensive way to look after parents in Nigeria. An annual health plan turns part of that into a predictable premium. It does not cover everything, and plans differ widely, so the value depends on choosing carefully. This page explains how the system works and what to check; it does not recommend any HMO.
How the system works
Nigeria's National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) oversees health insurance under the NHIA Act 2022, and each state runs its own scheme; Edo's agency, for example, describes health insurance as mandatory for residents under the NHIA Act and its own state law. Cover is delivered in two main ways:
| Route | Who runs it | Typical features |
|---|---|---|
| Private HMO plan | A health maintenance organisation | Tiered plans, wider private hospital lists, higher premiums |
| State scheme | The state health insurance agency, sometimes with HMOs | Lower premiums, mainly public and accredited private facilities |
Either way, your parent registers with a primary hospital. The HMO or agency pays that hospital, commonly a fixed amount per enrollee (capitation) for primary care plus fees for specific services. When a specialist or another hospital is needed, the hospital requests an authorisation code from the HMO. NHIA raised capitation by 93% and fee-for-service rates by 378% from April 2025, according to its Director General as reported in February 2025, which affects what hospitals receive and, over time, what plans cost.
What premiums look like
State schemes publish their prices. Kwara's scheme, for example, set its premiums from 1 December 2024 at ₦15,500 per person per year for the informal sector and ₦75,000 per year for a six-person informal family package. Private HMO plans for older adults usually cost more, and the HMO quotes on its own terms. Ask for the premium in writing, for each parent.
What to check before you pay
- The hospital list. Is there a good hospital on the plan within easy reach of your parents' home? A cheap plan with no usable hospital nearby is no cover at all.
- Waiting periods. Edo's scheme, for example, starts cover from the first of the month after a 30-day waiting period.
- Pre-existing conditions. Hypertension, diabetes and arthritis are common in older parents. Edo's scheme covers pre-existing conditions after six months; private plans set their own rules, and some exclude them.
- Co-payments. Edo's scheme lists co-pays of 10% on drugs and laboratory tests and 50% on selected services.
- Annual limits and exclusions. Surgery, dialysis, cancer care and imaging such as MRI are often capped or excluded on basic plans.
- Age rules. Some private plans set maximum entry ages or charge more above certain ages; ask.
- Emergencies. Edo's scheme says emergencies may be treated at the nearest accredited facility and must be notified within 24 hours. Ask the HMO for its emergency rule and line.
- The complaint route. Check that the HMO is accredited by NHIA and that you know how to escalate.
Why the complaint route matters
NHIA's 2024 complaints report, reported in June 2025, recorded 3,507 complaints, of which 2,929 were resolved, and sanctioned 47 HMOs and 49 facilities. Complaints about HMOs included delays or denials of referral authorisation codes and late payments to hospitals; complaints about facilities included charging enrollees out of pocket for covered services. Keep the plan document, ID card and every receipt so you can complain with evidence.
A worked example
Example only, using Kwara's December 2024 informal-sector prices. Your parents in Ilorin and a younger brother who lives with them need cover. Three individual enrolments cost 3 × ₦15,500 = ₦46,500 a year. The six-person family package costs ₦75,000, so for three people it is ₦28,500 dearer. It only becomes the cheaper option at five people (5 × ₦15,500 = ₦77,500). Shared across three siblings abroad, the individual route costs ₦15,500 each per year. Your father's hypertension clinic visits and routine drugs would then be handled under the scheme's rules and co-payments; a larger procedure would still need checking against its limits.
The lesson carries over to private HMOs: price each parent separately as well as as a family, and compare the hospital list before the premium.
Where Pryme fits
Premiums are paid in naira, and Send shows the rate and the fee before you approve. Pryme's Personal Assistant can remind you before renewal, and every payment can be issued as a verifiable receipt through VerifyDoc.ai. If a hospital bill still arrives, see paying a Nigerian hospital from Canada. For one state scheme in detail, see OYSHIA health insurance in Ibadan. Outside Nigeria, Pryme's services are provided through regulated partners.
Questions people ask
Can I buy health insurance for my parents in Nigeria from Canada?
Yes. Private HMOs and many state schemes accept payment on behalf of an enrollee; your parent still registers with a hospital and provides their own details.
Do HMOs in Nigeria cover pre-existing conditions?
It depends on the plan. Edo's state scheme, for example, covers them after six months; private plans set their own rules.
How much is a state health insurance plan in Nigeria?
Each state sets its own premium. Kwara's informal-sector premium was ₦15,500 per person per year from December 2024.
What if the HMO refuses a referral code?
Ask the HMO for the reason in writing and use its complaint process; NHIA has sanctioned HMOs over delayed or denied codes.
Sources
- EDOHIC: Insurance policy (Edo State Health Insurance Commission) · accessed Oct 2026
- KwaraCare: Revised health insurance premiums (Dec 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
- ICIR: Service failure, NHIA sanctions 49 health facilities, 47 HMOs (30 Jun 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- BusinessDay: NHIA hikes capitation by 93%, implements 378% service fee (4 Feb 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.