Reject proposed NHFRA bill, private nurses beg Senate

The Association of General Private Nursing Practitioners of Nigeria has urged the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary) to reject the proposed National Health Facility Regulatory Agency of Nigeria Bill, arguing that it would duplicate the functions of existing regulatory bodies and worsen inter-professional conflicts in the health sector.

In a memorandum submitted to the Senate Committee during a public hearing on the proposed National Health Facility Regulatory Agency Bill held at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, on July 8, 2026, AGPNP argued that the legislation would create unnecessary bureaucracy, undermine state governments’ constitutional responsibilities, and threaten the autonomy of established health professions.

The association maintained that rather than improving healthcare quality, the proposed agency would complicate Nigeria’s already fragile healthcare regulatory system by overlapping with the mandates of existing regulators.

In a copy of the memorandum shared with PUNCH Healthwise by the AGPNP president, Balogun Ajiboye, the association urged the National Assembly to reject the bill in its entirety instead of amending it.

PUNCH Healthwise reports that several health associations have opposed the NHFRA bill, stressing that the creation of a new agency would lead to duplication of functions and disharmony among health workers.

The AGPNP, in its memorandum, stated that the National Health Act 2014 and the Constitution envisage a collaborative health system involving the Federal, State and Local Governments rather than a centralised regulatory structure.

“Having reviewed the Bill in full, the position advanced in this submission is that the Bill should not be passed into law in its current form or intent. If the Bill is passed, the agency would unnecessarily duplicate functions already vested by statute in existing regulatory bodies, encroach upon the constitutional responsibilities of State Governments, and has the potential to undermine the statutory autonomy of established healthcare professions, increasing inter-professional crisis and the risks would do more harm than good to Nigeria’s already fragile healthcare regulatory landscape. The Committee is respectfully urged to reject the Bill in its entirety rather than merely amend it,” it read in part.

The association noted that the Federal Ministry of Health, State Ministries of Health, Local Government Health Authorities and other stakeholders already have clearly defined responsibilities in implementing national health policies.

It argued that the proposed agency would duplicate functions already performed by regulatory bodies such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, State Ministries of Health and State Hospital Services Management Boards.

The association further stressed that Clause 7 of the proposed bill assigns the agency functions including standard-setting, inspection, accreditation and enforcement over facilities and practitioners that are already regulated by existing statutory bodies.

“In view of the fact that health is on the concurrent legislative list, the establishment of a new federal agency to regulate health facilities across the Federation would duplicate the existing statutory and administrative responsibilities already exercised by Federal and State Ministries of Health and those of the local governments.

“It is our view that the regulation, licensing, monitoring, inspection, and enforcement relating to health facilities operating within a State are matters best administered by the respective regulatory bodies and State Governments, which possess a better understanding of local healthcare needs and priorities,” the memorandum stated.

It stated that the challenge of inconsistent healthcare quality and safety should be addressed by strengthening the capacity, funding and enforcement powers of existing institutions rather than creating another federal agency.

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The association further warned that establishing the NHFRA would create overlapping and conflicting regulatory mandates, increase bureaucratic bottlenecks, impose additional financial obligations on government and private healthcare providers, undermine the constitutional principles of federalism and decentralisation, weaken the autonomy of state governments in healthcare administration, promote quackery and heighten inter-professional crises due to what it described as discriminatory provisions in the bill.

The private nurses also raised concerns over provisions they said could erode the statutory independence of the nursing profession.

According to the association, nursing is a distinct profession with its own body of knowledge, ethical standards, educational requirements and legal framework, and therefore cannot be subjected to the professional control or supervision of any other healthcare profession.

It cited the Nursing and Midwifery Act, stating that the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria has the exclusive statutory authority to regulate nursing education and practice in the country.

The association also referred to a 2016 Lagos State High Court judgment obtained following a suit instituted by the association, which it said affirmed that only the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria could regulate and control nursing practice in Nigeria.

It argued that any legislative provision placing nurses or nursing practice under the supervision or authority of another profession would be inconsistent with existing laws governing the profession.

As part of its recommendations, the association urged the National Assembly to reject the proposed National Health Facility Regulatory Agency, preserve the constitutional responsibilities of state governments in regulating health facilities, strengthen existing regulatory institutions rather than create another federal bureaucracy, and establish a health bank as an intervention bank for the health industry.

It noted, “The National Assembly is therefore respectfully urged to reject the establishment of the proposed NHFRA as it duplicates existing regulatory functions, preserve the constitutional and administrative responsibilities of State Governments regarding the regulation and administration of health facilities within their jurisdictions, strengthen existing health regulatory institutions instead of creating additional federal bureaucracies, and create a health bank as an Intervention Bank for the health industry.

“This approach will strengthen Nigeria’s federal structure, promote efficient healthcare governance standards, avoid unnecessary duplication of regulatory functions, and uphold the independence of all statutorily recognised health professions.”

While acknowledging the bill’s intentions, the association maintained that the legislation would not improve healthcare standards or facility monitoring in Nigeria.

It further alleged that some provisions of the bill appeared designed to place medical practitioners above other health professionals and could legalise what it described as selective harassment of private healthcare providers.

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