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The short answer
When a parent is admitted in Nigeria, ask the hospital for a written estimate and its own account details, then pay the hospital directly from the UK and get an itemised invoice and receipt. Lawyers quoted by The Guardian say Section 20(1) of the National Health Act 2014 makes refusing emergency treatment an offence, so a deposit should not stop emergency care, but in practice hospitals ask for one quickly. If your parent has NHIA or HMO cover, call the HMO first.
The first hour: what to ask
The call usually comes from a sibling or neighbour at the hospital: Mummy has been admitted, they need money now. Before you send anything, get four things, by message so you have them in writing:
- The hospital's full name and the ward or unit, and the name of the doctor in charge.
- What is needed now: a deposit, drugs, a scan, blood, a surgical fee. Ask for the amount for each.
- The hospital's own account details, from the billing or accounts office, on a printed invoice or deposit slip.
- Your parent's hospital or patient number, which goes in the payment reference.
Then call the hospital's published number yourself and ask for accounts or the nurses' station on that ward. Two minutes on the phone confirms the admission and the amount, and protects you from the fake emergency message, which is common.
What the law says about emergencies
Lawyers quoted by The Guardian in September 2022 said Section 20(1) of the National Health Act 2014 makes it a criminal offence for a hospital or health facility to refuse emergency treatment, including by demanding a police report first. For gunshot victims, a separate law, the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act 2017, carries, according to a lawyer quoted in the same piece, a fine of ₦100,000, up to six months' imprisonment, or both.
In practice, private hospitals often ask for a deposit at admission, and families rarely argue the law at the bedside. Use it if care is being withheld in a true emergency; otherwise focus on getting a clear, written bill. This is information, not legal advice.
If your parent has health insurance
If your parent is enrolled with an NHIA-accredited HMO or a state scheme, call the HMO before you pay. Many treatments need an authorisation code from the HMO, and covered services should not be charged to the patient. The NHIA's complaints report for 2024, reported by ICIR in June 2025, named both problems: HMOs delaying referral authorisation codes, and facilities demanding out-of-pocket payment for covered services. Facilities were made to refund ₦4,375,500 to enrollees that year. Ask the HMO in writing what is covered, and pay only the part it does not.
No cover yet? Once the emergency has passed, see health insurance for parents in Nigeria.
A worked example (illustrative)
Example only; not any hospital's charges. A five-day admission at a private hospital:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Deposit paid at admission | ₦500,000 |
| Ward, ₦40,000 a day for 5 days | ₦200,000 |
| Drugs and consumables | ₦150,000 |
| Laboratory tests and scan | ₦80,000 |
| Charges for the stay (ward + drugs + tests) | ₦430,000 |
Read that carefully: many hospitals treat the deposit as an advance against the final bill. Here the charges are ₦430,000 (₦200,000 + ₦150,000 + ₦80,000), so a ₦500,000 deposit should leave ₦70,000 to be refunded or credited, not a further bill. Ask at admission whether the deposit is credited against charges, and ask for the running total each day. Drugs bought outside the hospital pharmacy are a separate cost; keep those receipts too.
Paying it
Send naira straight to the hospital account, with the patient's name and hospital number in the reference, and forward your transfer confirmation to the accounts office. If speed matters, use an app where you are already verified; sending urgent money to Nigeria the same day covers what slows a transfer. The step-by-step on invoices, receipts and avoiding middlemen is in paying a relative's hospital bill from the UK.
When the family on the ground disagrees
Emergencies bring several relatives to the bedside, each with a different number and a different account. Name one person as the contact with the hospital, and make every payment to the hospital itself against a written bill. If a relative asks for money for drugs or tests bought outside, ask for a photo of the prescription and the pharmacy receipt, and where you can, pay the pharmacy directly. That keeps the record clean without accusing anyone.
After discharge
- Ask for the final itemised bill and the discharge summary.
- Check the deposit was credited and any balance refunded.
- Keep a copy of the summary for the next doctor and for any insurer.
- Note what the stay cost; it is the best guide to the emergency fund your family needs.
Where Pryme fits
If you keep a naira balance in a Pryme account, you can pay a hospital's Nigerian account through Send without converting under pressure; when you do convert, the app shows the rate and the fee before you approve. Naira deposits are held by a licensed Nigerian microfinance bank, regulated by the CBN and insured by the NDIC up to the applicable limit. Outside Nigeria, Pryme's activities are carried out through regulated partners.
Questions people ask
Can a Nigerian hospital refuse emergency treatment without a deposit?
Lawyers quoted by The Guardian say Section 20(1) of the National Health Act 2014 makes refusing emergency treatment an offence. Deposits are still commonly requested.
How do I pay a hospital in Nigeria from the UK?
Get the hospital's own account details from its accounts office, confirm by phone, and send naira with the patient's name and hospital number in the reference.
Is the hospital deposit refundable?
It depends on the hospital. Many credit it against the final bill; ask at admission and check the final itemised bill.
My parent has HMO cover. Should I still pay?
Call the HMO first for authorisation and ask in writing what is covered. Pay only the uncovered part.
Sources
- The Guardian: Medical emergencies, examining citizens' right to treatment (27 Sep 2022) · accessed Oct 2026
- ICIR: NHIA sanctions 49 health facilities, 47 HMOs over service failure (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.