Reps Passes Bill to Ban Public Officials and Their Families from Using Private Schools, Hospitals

The House of Representatives has passed the second reading of a bill banning public officials and their families from using private schools and hospitals.

A bill seeking to prohibit public and civil servants, along with their immediate families, from using private schools and hospitals has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

Titled the Private Institutions and Health Care Service Providers (Prohibition) Bill, 2025, the proposed law is sponsored by Amobi Ogah, a lawmaker representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi federal constituency of Abia State.

Speaking to journalists after Tuesday’s plenary, Ogah said the aim of the bill is to promote public confidence in Nigeria’s schools and hospitals by compelling officials to use the same services they administer. According to him, this would help eliminate conflicts of interest and raise the standard of public institutions.

“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,” Ogah said.

DON’T MISS: BREAKING: Senator Natasha Resumes Despite Armed DSS, Police Deployment at National Assembly

The lawmaker also argued that over-reliance on private and foreign facilities has worsened the condition of Nigeria’s public institutions. “Public schools and healthcare centres have become a shadow of themselves, with little or no infrastructural development,” he said.

Ogah cited figures to support his argument, noting that Nigerians spent $29.29 billion on foreign medical treatment during the Buhari years and another $38.17 million on foreign education between January and March 2024 alone.

He added: “We must restore confidence in government institutions and promote the image of our country in the comity of nations.”

Although similar attempts have failed in previous assemblies — including a 2019 bill to ban foreign medical trips by public officials — Ogah expressed hope that this proposal would gain enough traction to become law.