AI generated Image of the human kidney

President Bola Tinubu has approved a significant reduction in the cost of kidney dialysis treatment in public hospitals, cutting the price of each session from ₦50,000 to ₦12,000.

The development was announced on Monday by Daniel Bwala, spokesperson to the president, via his official X handle. The subsidy will first be rolled out in 10 public hospitals across the country, before expanding to more facilities later this year.

Relief for Nigerians Battling Kidney Diseases

The intervention is expected to bring relief to thousands of Nigerians struggling with kidney-related illnesses.

Kidneys play a vital role in filtering waste from the body. When they fail, toxins build up, making the patient severely ill. For such patients, dialysis or a kidney transplant becomes a matter of survival.

Symptoms of kidney disease often include:

• Frequent or infrequent urination
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling in the feet and ankles
• Muscle cramps
• Nausea and vomiting

More than 20 million Nigerians are currently living with kidney disease, while studies also indicate that West Africans have one of the highest risks of kidney disorders globally.

Hospitals Selected for the First Phase

According to Mr. Bwala, the subsidy is being implemented in major federal hospitals across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

The first batch of hospitals includes:

• Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute-Metta, Lagos
• Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Abuja
• University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan
• Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri
• University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), Maiduguri
• Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta
• Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos
• Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Azare
• University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin
• University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar

Mr. Bwala added that more federal medical centres and teaching hospitals will be added before the end of 2025 to ensure nationwide access.

Kidney Diseases in Nigeria: A Growing Burden

Health experts have raised concerns over the increasing prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Nigeria, linking it to the consumption of contaminated foods, synthetic products, and fake drugs.

CKD is a progressive condition that reduces kidney function, often going undetected in its early stages. By the time it is diagnosed, many patients are already at an advanced stage, where 85–90% of kidney function is lost, requiring dialysis or a transplant to survive.