House moves to ban public servants from using private schools, hospitals
The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed for first reading a bill that seeks to prohibit public and civil servants—and their immediate families—from using private schools and healthcare facilities in Nigeria.
The bill, titled “Private Institutions and Health Care Service Providers (Prohibition) Bill, 2025,” is sponsored by Hon. Amobi Godwin Ogah, who represents the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State.
Speaking to journalists after the bill was read on the House floor, Ogah described it as a potential “turning point in the history of our nation,” aimed at restoring public confidence in government institutions and eliminating conflicts of interest in service delivery by public officials.
“This bill intends to prohibit all public and civil servants, including their immediate family members, from patronizing private schools and healthcare services in order to avoid conflict of interest, maintain public trust, and ensure high, uncompromised standards and integrity of these public institutions,” Ogah said.
He referenced Nigeria’s founding leaders—Sir Ahmadu Bello, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and Alhaji Tafawa Balewa—noting that they all attended public or mission schools and did not rely on private or foreign services.
Ogah criticized the current trend where top government officials choose private or foreign institutions while neglecting public facilities, which he said has led to declining standards and infrastructure.
“It has become an unwholesome trend for public and civil servants to seek private educational institutions and medical care for themselves and their family members—to the detriment of our country,” he said.
The lawmaker backed his claims with statistics. Despite N1.336 trillion allocated to healthcare in the 2024 budget, Nigerians still spent over $1 billion annually on medical treatment abroad, he said. Under former President Muhammadu Buhari, at least $29.29 billion reportedly went to foreign medical expenses over eight years. For foreign education, Nigerians spent $38.17 million between January and March 2024, and $218.87 million in 2023.
“If we have started the removal of petroleum subsidy, we must also enforce this bill to prohibit the patronizing of private schools and healthcare services by public and civil servants,” Ogah argued.
He warned that continued neglect of public institutions due to elite reliance on private alternatives has turned many schools and hospitals into “a shadow of their former selves.”
“It does not speak well of our country that our Presidents and notable government functionaries are seen to be going abroad for medical treatment—and even dying in the process,” he added.
Ogah said the bill is aimed at ending “medical and educational tourism” and building national pride and accountability in public institutions.
He urged citizens and the media to support the legislation, calling for a national awareness campaign with the hashtag
#PromoteOurSchoolsAndHealthcareServices
#PrivateInstitutionsAndHealthcareServicesProvidersProhibitionBill2025.
