How to choose a home care provider in Nigeria

A step-by-step way to shortlist and compare agencies, and the warning signs to watch for.

By the Tendawell team · General guidance, not medical or legal advice

Home care in Nigeria ranges from large agencies with nurse supervisors to individual carers found through word of mouth. There is no single national register of home care agencies, so a little checking up front goes a long way.

1. Be clear about what your relative needs

Write down a short list before you contact anyone: help with personal care (bathing, toileting, dressing), medical tasks (injections, wound care, blood pressure or sugar checks), company and errands, or support at night. Medical tasks need a qualified nurse, not only a carer.

2. Shortlist two or three providers near them

Look for providers that already work in your relative's town, not just the state. Travel across Lagos or Enugu can make a big difference to whether carers arrive on time. You can search our directory by state and type of care.

3. Check who they are

• Ask for their company registration (CAC) details.
• For nursing care, ask whether the nurses hold a current licence from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.
• Ask whether they are registered with the state health regulator where that applies, for example HEFAMAA in Lagos for health facilities.
• Ask for references from families they have supported.

4. Ask how carers are recruited and supervised

Good providers can explain how they check carers' backgrounds and references, what training they give, who supervises them, and what happens if a carer is sick or does not turn up.

5. Get the agreement in writing

Before care starts, agree the hours, tasks, price, what is included (transport, feeding, overtime), how and when you pay, and the notice period. Keep receipts for every payment.

Warning signs

• Pressure to pay large amounts up front before anyone has met your relative.
• No fixed address, registration details or written agreement.
• Vague answers about who the carer is or how they were checked.

If you would like help comparing options, tell us what your relative needs.