Every “top 10 HMOs” list ranks them differently, and none says how. Here is how to choose an HMO on facts, twelve established HMOs to compare, and what each says about mental health cover.
No official body ranks Nigeria’s HMOs, so choose on facts: NHIA accreditation, whether your hospitals are in the network, the plan’s limits and waiting periods, and how complaints are handled. Mental health cover varies by plan, and is usually outpatient psychiatry with limits.
First, check the HMO is accredited
Health maintenance organisations (HMOs) in Nigeria are regulated by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA). Its list of accredited HMOs had 93 companies when we checked in September 2026. Some appear under legal names that differ from their brand names, so search for both.
How to choose an HMO
- Hospitals. Ask for the provider list and check that the hospitals and clinics you’d actually use are on it, near home and work.
- Limits. Look at annual limits, and what’s excluded, in writing.
- Waiting periods. Many plans make you wait before some benefits start, often six months to a year for mental health care.
- Authorisation. Since April 2025, NHIA requires HMOs to issue authorisation codes within one hour, and emergencies don’t need a code first. Ask how quickly the HMO responds in practice.
- Complaints. Ask how complaints are handled. In 2024, NHIA reviewed complaints against HMOs and sanctioned 47 of them.
Mental health cover: what to expect
- Most plans that cover mental health cover outpatient psychiatry, limited to a number of weeks or sessions a year.
- Some plans include therapy or counselling sessions, usually a small number a year.
- Waiting periods are common: six months, nine months, a year, or “not in the first policy year”.
- Common exclusions: drug and alcohol rehabilitation, care after a suicide attempt or self-harm, long-term psychiatric illness and inpatient psychiatric care. Exclusions vary, so read yours.
- Under NHIA’s own scheme, consultations with specialists include psychiatrists, and the treatment guidelines cover conditions such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Hospital stays are limited to 21 days a year. Talking therapy isn’t named.
12 established HMOs, in alphabetical order
All twelve are on NHIA’s list of accredited HMOs. The mental health notes come from each HMO’s own website, checked in late September and early October 2026; where we couldn’t find details, we say so. Plans change often, so confirm with the HMO before you buy.
- AIICO Multishield. Operating since 1997. Some of its retail plans cover psychiatric hospitalisation, up to a set limit. Therapy and counselling aren’t mentioned.
- Ally Healthcare (Ally HMO). Based in Abuja. Its retail plans list mental illness care after six months: two, four or eight sessions a year, depending on the plan. Its general exclusions page also lists mental and emotional disorders, so confirm your plan’s cover. Mytherapist.ng has a partnership with Ally Healthcare.
- Avon HMO (Avon Healthcare). Part of Heirs Holdings, operating since 2013. Its terms set a 12-month wait for outpatient psychiatric care, and exclude psychiatric institutionalisation, self-injury and suicide attempts, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
- AXA Mansard Health. Its low-cost EasyCare plan lists psychiatry cover of up to eight weeks. Check other plans for their own limits.
- Clearline HMO. Its main retail plans list psychiatric treatment; its telemedicine-only Kia Kia plan doesn’t. Check the full plan for limits.
- HCI Healthcare (formerly Healthcare International). Incorporated in 1997. Its corporate plans cover consultations with a psychiatrist, and its telemedicine plans offer unlimited online consultations and counselling by voice or video call.
- Hallmark HMO (Hallmark Health Services). We couldn’t find mental health cover in the plan details on its website, so ask.
- Hygeia HMO. Its plan pages don’t list mental health cover, so ask for your plan’s full benefit schedule and check for therapy sessions and any psychiatric exclusions.
- Leadway Health. Its retail plans include outpatient psychiatry for up to eight weeks, within the outpatient limit and not in the first policy year. For companies, its employee wellness programme offers mental health care and advisory services.
- Novo Health Africa. Its mid and top retail plans include two or three online specialist consultations a year for emotional and behavioural health. Its basic plan doesn’t.
- RedCare HMO. We couldn’t find mental health cover listed on its website, so ask.
- Reliance Health (Reliance HMO). Its personal plans cover mental illness, outpatient cases only, for four, six or ten weeks depending on the plan, after nine months. It excludes care for alcoholism and substance abuse, and for attempted suicide.
Using your HMO for therapy on Mytherapist.ng
If your plan is with Ally HMO or HCI Healthcare, you can book therapy in the Mytherapist.ng app at ₦0 out of pocket: choose “My HMO” at checkout and enter your enrollee ID, and we confirm your cover before the session. See the supported HMOs and our step-by-step guide to HMO-covered therapy. If your HMO isn’t supported yet, you can still ask it what mental health care your plan includes. Our guide to free therapy in Nigeria lists other low-cost routes.
Where to complain
Start with your HMO, and keep a record of dates and names. If it isn’t resolved, contact NHIA through its call centre or offices. Details are on nhia.gov.ng.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best HMO in Nigeria?
No official body ranks HMOs. The best one for you is NHIA-accredited, includes the hospitals you’d use, has limits that fit your needs, and handles complaints well.
Which HMOs cover mental health in Nigeria?
Many plans include outpatient psychiatry, usually with limits and waiting periods, and some include a few therapy sessions a year. Cover depends on the plan, not only the HMO, so check your plan’s benefit table.
Does NHIA cover mental health?
NHIA’s benefit package includes consultations with specialists such as psychiatrists, and its treatment guidelines cover common mental health conditions. Talking therapy isn’t named, so ask your HMO.
How do I know if an HMO is accredited?
Check NHIA’s list of accredited HMOs on nhia.gov.ng. Search for both the brand and the company’s legal name.
Suggested read: Introducing Pay for me and Sponsors: let someone else pay for your therapy
Do HMOs cover drug or alcohol rehab?
Most exclude it. Check your plan, and see our guide to choosing a rehab centre for public options.
