Healthcare Costs in Lagos

Seven out of every ten naira spent on healthcare in Lagos comes directly from your pocket — not from insurance, not from government, not from your employer. Nigeria's out-of-pocket health expenditure rate of 70% is one of the highest in the world. For context, it's 11% in the UK, 11% in the US, and 28% in Kenya. This means the average Lagosian is essentially self-insuring every hospital visit, every lab test, every emergency — and the costs are not small.

A single malaria episode at a standard private clinic costs ₦10,000–₦35,000 (consultation + lab test + drugs). The average Lagosian gets malaria 2-4 times per year. That's ₦40,000-₦140,000 annually on malaria alone — more than a month of rent in Alimosho. A normal delivery at a private hospital costs ₦200,000-₦500,000; a C-section runs ₦400,000–₦1,200,000. An appendectomy — an emergency you can't plan for — costs ₦200,000-₦500,000 at a private hospital. Without insurance, a single medical emergency can wipe out six months of savings.

The maths on HMO plans is straightforward: AXA Mansard EasyCare costs ₦2,000/month (₦12,000/year). If you visit a private hospital just twice a year for common illnesses, you'd spend ₦50,000-₦100,000 out-of-pocket. The HMO pays for itself in 1-2 visits. If you need maternity care, MyCoverGenius ZenCare at ₦10,000/month covers deliveries that would otherwise cost ₦200,000-₦500,000. The catch: only 3% of Nigerians have health insurance. The other 97% are one hospital visit away from a financial crisis.