By Garba Abdullahi Bagwai
More than 1,405 private hospitals and other healthcare facilities are currently registered with the Kano State Private Health Institutions Management Agency (PHIMA), with 37 facilities shut down over regulatory violations in the past 18 months.
Of the affected facilities, 16 were closed in 2025, while another 21 were shut down between January and July 2026 for failing to comply with government regulations on healthcare service delivery.
The Acting Director-General of Private Health Institutions Management Agency (PHIMA), Hajiya Khadija Sa’id, disclosed this in an interview with Citizenship Daily in Kano.
She explained that the agency is responsible for facilitating, regulating and supervising healthcare services provided by private health institutions across the state.
According to her, PHIMA has the authority to sanction or shut down any private health facility found operating in violation of government regulations.
Hajiya Khadija said the agency employs two major approaches to monitor private health institutions.
She explained that the first is routine supervision, carried out by a team comprising agency staff and ad hoc personnel with relevant medical experience.
“The second is supportive supervision, which involves stakeholders such as specialist doctors, lawyers, representatives of the state Ministry of Health, security agencies and community leaders,” she said.
She said the more than 1,405 registered private health facilities comprise clinics, polyclinics, hospitals, specialist hospitals, nursing homes, clinic/maternity centres and maternity hospitals.
The Acting Director-General stressed that each category of health facility has a specific scope of services it is authorised to provide.
She warned that it is against the law for a clinic, for example, to provide services designated for a polyclinic or hospital.
“Our concern is to ensure good service delivery to the people. We do not want a situation where the health of the people will be compromised,” she said.
New Database for Private Health Facilities
Hajiya Khadija also disclosed that the agency would soon upload updated data and information on all registered private health institutions on a newly designed website.
She said the platform, which would be managed by the agency’s database unit, would enhance monitoring and provide the government with up-to-date information on private healthcare facilities across the state.
According to her, the database would provide information on the number of patients visiting private hospitals daily, maternal mortality and infectious diseases affecting communities.
She said the availability of such data would enable the government to identify emerging health challenges and take appropriate action.
The Acting Director-General further disclosed that PHIMA regularly organises capacity-building workshops for staff and owners of private health institutions to acquaint them with government guidelines, regulations and policies governing the operation of private healthcare facilities.
Kano’s Policy on Private Hospitals
Hajiya Khadija described Kano State’s policy on private healthcare institutions as relatively liberal compared with some other states.
“Government policy on private hospitals is not very strict in Kano. In a state like Lagos, even a clinic pays about N1.5 million as a registration fee, but here in Kano, none of the categories of hospitals pays such an amount,” she said.
Revenue Generation
On revenue generation, Hajiya Khadija said PHIMA generated N5 million in 2024, while the figure increased significantly to N42 million in 2025.
She expressed optimism that the agency would surpass the N42 million generated last year by the end of 2026.
“We appreciate the support of the Governor, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, and the Commissioner for Health. This support has helped the agency to achieve its noble objectives,” she said.
The Acting Director-General urged members of the public to report any private health institution operati
