The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced a significant reduction in the cost of kidney dialysis, lowering the fee per session from about ₦50,000 to ₦12,000. This represents a subsidy of roughly 76–80 percent and is designed to make life-saving treatment more accessible to Nigerians living with kidney diseases.
The programme is currently being implemented in 11 federal tertiary hospitals across the country. These include:
- Lagos: Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute-Metta and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH)
- Abuja: Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi
- Oyo: University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan
- Imo: Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri
- Borno: University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH)
- Ogun: Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta
- Bauchi: Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH)
- Benin: University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH)
- Calabar: University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH)
- Azare: Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Azare
This subsidy programme forms part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on expanding access to affordable healthcare services nationwide.
One of the early beneficiaries of the initiative is Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) in Kano State. Following the cost reduction, the hospital has witnessed a sharp rise in the number of dialysis patients, now attending to 22–25 individuals daily.
According to Tijjani Rahim, Deputy Director of Nursing Services and Head of the Dialysis Unit at AKTH, the surge in attendance began shortly after the subsidy was introduced, positioning the hospital among the first to implement the scheme.
Patients at the AKTH Dialysis Centre expressed relief and gratitude for the government’s intervention.
- Malam Sani Musa explained that he previously paid between ₦54,000 and ₦60,000 per session, which was first reduced to ₦20,000 and now stands at ₦12,000.
- Mamuda Aliyu said the drop from ₦60,000 to ₦12,000 has allowed him to continue regular treatment.
- Malama Hafiza Isa shared a similar experience, noting how the gradual reduction in costs has significantly eased her financial burden.
Many of the patients, however, appealed to the Federal Government to consider making dialysis treatment entirely free, especially for low-income individuals who still struggle to cover the subsidised rate.
The Chief Medical Director of AKTH, Prof. Abdurrahman Sheshe, confirmed that the hospital had received consumables for 1,000 dialysis sessions as part of the programme. He made this known during the launch of the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance Scheme (NEMSAS), which offers 48 hours of free emergency care and transportation for pregnant women, children, accident victims, and other critical cases.
Prof. Sheshe also called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, as well as private donors, to support the hospital in sustaining both the dialysis subsidy and NEMSAS programmes.
This dialysis subsidy initiative is one of several reforms under the Federal Government’s health sector agenda, which also includes the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and NEMSAS. Collectively, these programmes aim to strengthen emergency response systems and reduce the financial pressure on patients nationwide.