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The short answer
Ask the hospital's billing office for an itemised invoice on its letterhead, confirm the hospital's own account details by calling a number from its official website, and pay that account directly with the patient's name and invoice number in the transfer reference. Then send the payment confirmation to billing and collect an official receipt. Private hospitals often expect a deposit or cash before treatment, so a direct transfer that billing can see quickly is what prevents delays.
Why bills get stuck
Families abroad usually hear about a hospital bill through a relative's call: 'they want ₦850,000 before surgery'. The delay is rarely the transfer itself. It is uncertainty about who to pay, whether the money has arrived, and whether the hospital has linked it to the right patient. The US State Department's Nigeria page warns that hospitals often expect immediate cash, and Canada's travel advice says facilities may require an upfront cash deposit, a payment guarantee or proof of insurance. Paying the hospital directly, with the right details, addresses all three.
Step by step
- Get an itemised invoice or estimate on the hospital's letterhead: patient name, hospital number, items, total and the hospital's bank details. A photo of a handwritten figure is not enough.
- Verify the account independently. Call the billing or accounts office on a number from the hospital's official website or signboard, not one sent in the same message, and confirm the account name and number.
- Check the name on transfer. When you enter the account number, the bank shows the account name. It should be the hospital's registered name, not a person's name.
- Use a clear reference: patient's name, hospital number and invoice number.
- Send proof to billing straight away, by email or WhatsApp to the verified contact, and ask them to confirm receipt against the patient's account.
- Collect an official receipt stamped by the hospital, and a final itemised bill on discharge.
Deposits, estimates and the final bill
Hospitals commonly ask for a deposit on admission and then a final bill. Ask for:
- The deposit amount and what it covers.
- A daily statement while the patient is admitted, so the bill does not surprise you at discharge.
- Whether drugs and tests from the hospital pharmacy and lab are on the same bill or paid separately.
- The refund process if the deposit exceeds the final bill.
In an emergency, the question of whether a hospital may refuse treatment pending a deposit is covered in hospital deposits and emergency treatment law.
Paying from abroad: the money side
Most Nigerian private hospitals bill and receive in naira. Your choices are to send naira from a remittance service to the hospital's account, to convert from your own multicurrency account, or to send to a trusted relative who pays. Direct to the hospital is usually best for the paper trail. Compare the transfer fee, the exchange rate against the mid-market rate, the speed and whether the service pays out to any Nigerian bank account. Check each provider's own page on the day.
| Route | Speed to the hospital | Paper trail |
|---|---|---|
| Direct transfer to the hospital's account | Depends on the service; domestic payouts to Nigerian banks are often fast once converted | Strong: your confirmation plus the hospital's receipt |
| Via a relative's account | Adds a second transfer | Weaker: two steps to prove |
| Cash handed over by a relative | Immediate if the relative has it | Weakest unless an official receipt is issued |
Worked example
Example only. Your father's surgery estimate is ₦1,200,000 with a ₦600,000 deposit to admit him. You call the hospital's accounts line from its website, confirm its account, send ₦600,000 with the reference 'Adewale Okafor HN 20458 INV 3391', and forward the confirmation to billing. On discharge the final bill is ₦1,140,000, so you pay ₦540,000 (₦1,140,000 − ₦600,000) and ask for a single receipt covering both payments.
If the hospital is outside the big cities
Smaller private hospitals and clinics may not have a billing email or a corporate account, and may ask for payment to a proprietor's account. If that is the only option, get the account name confirmed in writing on the hospital's letterhead, ask for a receipt for every payment, and keep a relative involved who can see the receipt issued on the spot. For a long admission, ask whether the hospital can share a running statement by message each day.
Keep the records
Keep the invoice, every transfer confirmation and the hospital's receipts together. You may need them for an insurance claim, for siblings who are sharing the cost, or for your own tax or visa records. See keeping a receipt trail for medical bills and health insurance for parents in Nigeria.
Where Pryme fits
With a Pryme multicurrency account you can hold GBP, USD or EUR and send naira to the hospital's account; the app shows the rate and the fee before you approve. Pryme partners with VerifyDoc.ai so you can generate a verifiable receipt of the payment for the hospital, family or an insurer.
Questions people ask
How can I pay a hospital bill in Nigeria from the UK?
Get an itemised invoice with the hospital's account details, confirm them by calling the hospital on its official number, and transfer naira directly with the patient's name and invoice number as reference.
Should I send hospital money to a relative or to the hospital?
Paying the hospital directly gives the clearest record and avoids a second transfer. Use a relative only if the hospital cannot receive transfers.
What if the hospital says it has not received my payment?
Send the transfer confirmation with the session or reference number to the verified billing contact and ask them to check the account by amount and date.
Do Nigerian hospitals ask for a deposit before treatment?
Many private hospitals do. Foreign government travel advice from the US and Canada notes that facilities may expect cash, a deposit or a payment guarantee.
Sources
- US Department of State: Nigeria international travel information (updated 25 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Government of Canada: Travel advice and advisories, Nigeria (updated 21 Oct 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.