The Kano State Private Health Institutions Management Agency (PHIMA) says it has shut down more than 35 private health facilities over serious regulatory violations in the past 12 months. The agency also reports that more than 100 facilities have faced sanctions, including for operating without valid licences, failing to renew registration and employing unqualified personnel.
The Kano State Government has shut down more than 35 private health facilities in the past 12 months over serious regulatory violations, as authorities intensify efforts to improve healthcare standards and protect residents.
Hajiya Khadijah Sa’id, Acting Director-General of the Kano State Private Health Institutions Management Agency (PHIMA), disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
Sa’id said the agency had sanctioned more than 100 facilities for various infractions uncovered during routine inspections. More than 35 of the facilities were closed because their violations were considered too serious to overlook.
Among the common offences identified were operating without a valid licence, failing to renew annual registration and employing personnel who lacked the required qualifications.
According to the agency, the enforcement measures are intended to ensure that private healthcare providers comply with established regulations and maintain professional standards in the delivery of medical services.
Sa’id explained that not all sanctions result in permanent closure. Some facilities are temporarily shut down to allow operators to correct identified deficiencies before they can resume operations.
However, facilities found responsible for serious violations may be permanently delisted from the register of approved institutions.
She warned that proprietors whose facilities are delisted could also be barred from registering another facility using the same professional licence.
The agency has also stepped up collaboration with other government bodies and security operatives to identify and shut down illegal healthcare establishments.
Sa’id cited a recent case in which an inter-agency task force established by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf reportedly discovered a clinic that PHIMA had previously sealed and delisted but which had resumed operations at another location.
The incident, she said, illustrates the challenges regulators face in preventing operators from continuing to provide services after enforcement action has been taken against them.
PHIMA is responsible for regulating and supervising private health institutions across Kano State. Its oversight covers hospitals, clinics, maternity homes, diagnostic laboratories, dental centres and other establishments offering health-related services.
The agency has been increasing inspections to ensure facilities operate with the appropriate licences, qualified staff and within the scope of services permitted by their registration.
The crackdown follows earlier enforcement measures in the state. In August 2026, PHIMA reported that it had closed 37 private hospitals and other health facilities over an 18-month period, including 21 closures between January and July 2026.
The latest figures point to continuing regulatory activity aimed at addressing non-compliance across the private healthcare sector.
For residents, the enforcement drive highlights the importance of checking whether a healthcare provider is properly registered before seeking treatment. Authorities say compliance with licensing and professional standards is essential to reducing risks associated with unsafe or unauthorised medical practices.