Residents seeking treatment at some public hospitals in satellite towns of the Federal Capital Territory have alleged persistent demands for cash payments, despite the Federal Government’s push for a cashless economy.
The allegations, reported by the News Agency of Nigeria following a survey of hospitals in Kubwa, Bwari, Karu, Nyanya and other areas, include demands for cash for hospital cards, laboratory tests, drugs and admissions, while some patients claimed they were directed to PoS operators or private bank accounts when they ran out of cash.
At Kubwa General Hospital, Mrs Halima Bature alleged that her relative’s emergency admission exposed the family to repeated cash demands.
“All the staff we encountered that night insisted on cash payments. Even to obtain the hospital card, we paid cash,” she alleged.
“When we got to the lab to conduct tests, we paid cash; at the ward, before we were allocated a bed, we paid cash.”
Bature alleged that after the family exhausted its cash, they were directed to a PoS machine for payment.
She claimed they later discovered that the account details provided were not linked to the hospital.
“When we complained, we were told that it was the only way to make payment if we wanted to be treated,” she said.
Bature further alleged that the family was not issued receipts for the payments made during the admission process.
At the Nigeria Customs Service Hospital in Karu, Mrs Odunayo Adebanji alleged that she spent about N66,000 during her son’s two-day admission, with all payments made in cash.
She claimed that no official receipts were issued despite the amount spent.
Another caregiver, Mr Tayo Akinyemi, alleged that he paid cash for an ear swab before giving N10,000 directly to a doctor for ear flushing.
“I was shocked that a hospital this big and which belongs to a reputable organisation like Customs would be operating like this,” he said.
Akinyemi said he was asked to withdraw cash from PoS operators operating around the hospital.
“On getting back downstairs, I discovered that there were so many PoS operators around, ready to give you whatever amount you required at a charge,” he said.
He questioned whether the alleged practice was an official hospital procedure or the action of individual workers.
“I was told everything has to be in cash. It is totally unfair because it negates what the government is preaching about a cashless economy,” he said.
However, not all patients interviewed by NAN supported the allegations.
Mrs Glory Yamput, who received treatment at the NCS Hospital, said she made payments through approved channels and received receipts for all transactions.
At Bwari General Hospital, Mrs Vera Yunana alleged that she resisted repeated demands for cash while her sister-in-law received maternity care.
Yunana claimed that hospital personnel initially requested N14,000 in cash and wrote the amount and purpose on a piece of carton.
She said she requested the hospital’s account details to make a transfer but was allegedly discouraged from doing so.
According to her, after doctors recommended a Caesarean section, the family was told to pay an additional N78,000 in cash.
Yunana said she insisted on obtaining an account number before making the payment.
She alleged that a nurse and a doctor eventually supplied a private account number which, she believed, was not linked to the hospital.
She also alleged that nurses subsequently demanded between N1,000 and N3,000 in cash for drugs following the surgery.
According to her, the demands were not supported by written prescriptions or official receipts.
But several other users of the hospital told NAN they had never experienced demands to pay into private accounts.
Mr Nurudeen Balogun, who was receiving treatment for tooth pain, said he had visited the hospital several times without encountering such a situation.
Imam Mufutau Adewale, who brought an emergency patient to the hospital on August 30, said treatment commenced without any payment being demanded.
“Few days ago, I brought an emergency case here and the patient was attended to thoroughly without even paying any dime. So I have never witnessed such a thing here,” he said.
Imam Olesin Abdulazeez also said he had transferred money directly into the hospital’s account without being asked to use a private account.
“I have never been asked to transfer money into a private account,” he said.
“However, there is no smoke without fire. I cannot say if such a thing had happened to some people, maybe in the night or whatever. I am only talking for myself,” he added.
Similar denials came from Mrs Mercy John and Mrs Ihuoma Pearl, both patients at Kubwa General Hospital.
Meanwhile, the alleged cash-based transactions appear to be boosting the businesses of PoS operators around public hospitals.
NAN observed significant patronage of PoS operators around hospitals in Nyanya, Kubwa, Karu, Kuje and Bwari, with patients and caregivers seeking cash for treatment-related expenses.
Mr Tony Abu, a PoS operator near Nyanya General Hospital, said hospital users had contributed significantly to his increased patronage.
“Since I came here, my business has been booming because many people from the hospital patronise me, especially when they want to buy or pay for their drugs, food, recharge cards and others,” he said.
Miss Kelly Inang, a PoS operator near a hospital in Karu, said the business earned her between N5,000 and N7,000 daily, depending on customer volume.
Mr Abdullahi Idachaba, another operator near Nyanya General Hospital, said hospitals attracted more customers than conventional commercial locations.
A staff member of Nyanya General Hospital, who spoke anonymously, alleged that cash payments remained the dominant practice for several services.
“This is the trend here. Even if somebody is dying, the relative must present cash to purchase or pay for any services rendered here,” the staff member alleged.
“Even down to antenatal and needle purchase, we collect cash.”
Miss Anne Mitchell, who received treatment after she was hit by a one-way driver, also alleged that her uncle had to obtain cash from a PoS operator.
“He went outside the gate to use PoS to pay for every treatment they gave me, but they didn’t give any receipt,” she said.
The trend contrasts with the experience of PoS operators outside hospital environments, some of whom reported declining patronage.
Mrs Agnes Egwuda, who operates at Nyanya Market, attributed the decline to traders who had started offering similar cash withdrawal services.
Mr Moses Ikenna said business had become slow and expressed interest in relocating to a hospital environment where customer traffic was stronger.
However, the managements of Bwari and Kubwa General Hospitals denied knowledge of any payment diversion scheme.
The Medical Director of Bwari General Hospital, Dr Ibrahim Mijinyawa, represented by Dr Kayode Oshodi, said management had not received any formal complaint.
“This may be speculation or people saying things that are not really founded, but as far as the management is concerned, we are not aware of this allegation,” he said.
“If there are people that have experienced such, they can come forward and we will investigate the allegation.”
Mijinyawa urged affected patients to use the hospital’s complaint channels, including anonymous submissions.
At Kubwa General Hospital, the Medical Director, Dr Emmanuel Musa, also challenged those making the allegations to provide evidence.
“We have not seen any evidence to this. We will be happy to make some people scapegoat if evidence can be brought up,” Musa said.
He said patients had the right to approach his office with complaints.
Musa added that notices warning patients against making payments to individuals were displayed across the facility.
“It is boldly written at the entrance of some offices in this hospital, ‘Do not pay money to anyone,’” he said.
The Nigeria Customs Service, however, acknowledged concerns about payment processes at its Karu hospital.
Its spokesperson, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, said the service was working to strengthen electronic payment infrastructure at the facility.
Maiwada said the NCS had initiated plans to deploy electronic payment infrastructure integrated with the SystemSpecs Remita platform and linked to the Treasury Single Account.
He explained that administrative adjustments had slowed the implementation because of the hospital’s revolving fund arrangements and financial procedures.
“The NCS Accounts Unit, in active collaboration with Remita, is finalising the deployment of PoS terminals across key service points to ensure smooth, cashless transactions for all patients,” Maiwada said.
On the alleged failure to issue receipts, he said official procedures required every payment to be receipted.
“Standard administrative protocol mandates the immediate issuance of official receipts for every paid service,” he said.
Maiwada explained that payments made during emergencies and night shifts could be temporarily recorded and reconciled when accounting personnel resumed work.
For patients, however, the controversy goes beyond the inconvenience of obtaining cash.
It raises fundamental questions about accountability, traceability of payments, access to emergency healthcare and compliance with the Federal Government’s cashless policy.
For PoS operators around the hospitals, the alleged cash demands have meanwhile created a lucrative stream of business, turning healthcare-related payments into a growing commercial opportunity.