Giving birth in Nigeria (or anywhere for that matter) is a severe undertaking. Apart from having to set about this unpredictable, 40-week-long journey and dealing with the biological, mental, physical, emotional and hormonal toll it exacts on your mind and body, you also have to contend with the financial implications.
The cost of giving birth in Nigeria can range from ₦200,000 to ₦2.5 million. Many factors determine the overall cost of childbirth: location, government-provided maternal aid, choice of healthcare facility, type of health insurance policies, income class, or lifestyle preferences. Other prescribed procedures (like epidurals or caesarean sections), pathology tests or ultrasound scans, and unforeseen pregnancy or birth complications may also affect the cost.
We’ve talked to a few Nigerian women to get an overview of the cost of giving birth in Nigeria, including all the potential childbearing expenses, from the first trimester until delivery, and all the costs in between.
The cost of your first trimester
Your first expense as a newly pregnant woman will likely be a pregnancy test; a home pregnancy test costs between ₦100 and ₦4,000. The price of a blood test, which offers more accurate results, averages ₦1,500. Your doctor might also advise you to get a pelvic ultrasound, which costs from ₦4,000 upwards.
The first 12 weeks of pregnancy — the duration of your first trimester — come with minimal expenses. Your main focus at this time should be staying hydrated, nourished and active.
The cost of your second trimester
Most hospitals recommend that you sign up for regular antenatal visits at the 12-week mark and offer packages that cover all antenatal consultations until delivery. The cost of antenatal packages varies among hospitals. Some government-owned healthcare centres offer free antenatal services, while others could charge up to ₦30,000. At West End Hospital, Warri, Blessing*, a stay-at-home mum, paid a ₦25,000 registration fee in May 2023, while Ada*, who purchased an antenatal package for ₦150,000 in 2022 at Procare Hospital, Life Camp, paid ₦220,000 for the same package this year. Film director, Sarah* started her antenatal visits at County Hospital, Lagos, for ₦50,000 but had to fork out an additional ₦35,000 after she switched to Royan Hospital 36 weeks in.
Aside from scheduled doctor’s visits, the cost of an antenatal package may also cover antenatal classes, two (or more) ultrasound scans, urine tests for glucose and proteins, and routine supplements for the duration of your term.
In some cases, parents can choose to pay out of pocket for services not covered by their packages, like scans, tests, medications or private antenatal classes. “I didn’t like the smell of the drugs my hospital gave me,” said Sarah, “so I opted for Preganacare supplements, which sold for ₦6,000 at first but gradually increased to ₦10,000.”
Currently, Pregnacare sells for ₦13,000 with a ₦2,000 margin depending on where you buy them.
The cost of baby shopping
You may be surprised to learn how much it costs to shop for these tiny humans. While most parents are gifted the essentials, you will need to purchase some baby products yourself. For instance, Sarah and her husband spent over ₦500,000 on some necessities. “Big items like the [baby] cot and wardrobe took the bulk of that purchase.”
“For our first round of shopping in January 2023, we spent ₦200,000 buying non-perishables like a baby bath set, a crib, a baby carrier, bath towels, a rocking chair and two sets of blankets. The crib alone cost ₦70,000.” Ada told PiggyVest. “In February, we spent around ₦190,000 when we went for the second round of shopping to purchase the things on the hospital list.” Ada’s list included breast pads, diapers, cotton wools, sanitary towels, and earrings. While she didn’t have to buy baby clothes, she estimates that the clothing her mother and mother-in-law gifted her is worth around ₦300,000.
These expenses may catch you off guard as they start to accumulate but don’t be dismayed. You do not need all the name-brand products, equipment and food these manufacturers or mummy influencers recommend. Save money where you can by accepting gifts or opting for cheaper, yet quality options. Your baby will outgrow these things anyway.
The cost of your third trimester and the average cost of giving birth in a Nigerian hospital
Your antenatal visits become more frequent as you approach your due date, and your antenatal bundle will cover most checkups until delivery. Still, your doctor might prescribe extra screenings in your third trimester to assess your well-being and check for potential health complications and congenital disabilities.
Delivery cost is usually determined by the type of delivery or risk factors surrounding it. For instance, Lara*, a techie who had her baby in December 2023, did not need to spend a dime on birthing costs. “From my first hospital visit till the last, I spent nothing. My company-issued HMO covered the entire bill for my vaginal birth.” However, not many Nigerian women share this same privilege and have to pay out of pocket for delivery.
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Vaginal delivery
According to Blessing, who left Warri for Asaba in the final month of her pregnancy, the delivery costs at Asaba Specialist Hospital, Delta State, were fully covered by the government until the policy was scrapped shortly after giving birth in August 2023. Meanwhile, a vaginal birth at West End Hospital would have cost her ₦70,000.
“The cost of vaginal delivery at Procare was ₦380,000 at the time,” Ada said. From research, the cost of vaginal births (except in the case of free or subsidised healthcare) can range from ₦70,000 to ₦500,000, depending on the facility and location.
Caesarean sections
Caesarean sections are more expensive than vaginal births, and for good reason — they are surgical procedures. Doctors can schedule these operations ahead of time or request them as an emergency solution to pregnancy complications, so it is best to know the cost beforehand and set money aside in case you need one.
While Chidera* did not have to pay for her caesarean section herself, thanks to the benevolence of her pastor, the woman in the bed next to her spent ₦250,000 to have her twins through CS. Ada, on the other hand, eventually had to pay ₦1 million for an emergency caesarean section. Sarah spent a total of ₦801,000; ₦500,000 for a caesarean section and an extra ₦301,000 for induction, admission, feeding and immunisation costs.
Premature delivery costs
In the case of a premature delivery, your baby will be required to spend time in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) until certified healthy enough to go home. Fatima, a university student who had her baby at the General Hospital in Ikorodu, told us, “My son had to spend five weeks in the incubator, and it cost me ₦5,000 weekly.”
Other birth complications
Chidera lost a lot of blood and had to be given eight pints throughout her week-long stay in the hospital. The price of a pint of blood goes from ₦25,000 to ₦35,000. Babies with severe neonatal jaundice might be required to undergo phototherapy to help them recover, and this could also incur extra costs.
Newborn care
Following childbirth, you must visit the paediatrician frequently for routine postnatal checkups. Some of these visits are covered by insurance (if you have coverage). Otherwise, you can spend anything from ₦1,000 to ₦10,000 per appointment.
Toyin*, who had her son in September 2023, told PiggyVest, “His circumcision cost ₦10,000, and the immunisation costs ranged from ₦5,000 to ₦15,000.”
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The cost of giving birth outside Nigeria
Many Nigerians dream of giving birth overseas. While this is an understandable dream, you should know that this costs a pretty penny, and acknowledge it as a choice that might not be accessible to the average Nigerian. Nonetheless, to put the cost of giving birth in Nigerita into context, we asked around to help you find out the cost of giving birth abroad. Sharing her delivery story with PiggyVest is Asa*, a Nigerian fashion designer who recently had her baby in the United States.
“I was seven months pregnant when I left for the US, but before then, all my antenatal visits in Nigeria were covered by my HMO. I also had an American visa prior, so I didn’t have to spend any money getting one. When it was time to leave, I opted for a direct flight because I was already battling some medical issues and didn’t want to risk it. My business class ticket on Delta Airlines to Dallas was $8,500; it was a return flight. After I arrived, the real birthing expenses started. To get a doctor to see me for the rest of my pregnancy was $2,000. He prescribed a bunch of tests and an ultrasound to confirm the health and location of my baby, and these added up to $2,700. Hospital delivery was tagged at $3,500 for a vaginal birth, and an extra $400 for my son’s circumcision.”
But there were more expenses to come. Asa had a slight complication that caused her to go into the hospital a week earlier than her induction date. After a two-hour stay to monitor her blood pressure, she had to pay another $1,100. On the delivery day, she opted for an epidural that cost $1,200 and some routine tests before delivery came to $250.
“After I gave birth to my son, three different paediatricians, including the one who conducted the circumcision, examined him. As it turned out, their fees were not included in the hospital fees, and I had to pay another $2,800. My son also had to get a compulsory hearing test for $350. Luckily for us, this was July 2023 when a dollar still exchanged for ₦600, plus we were lucky enough to get a $2,000 PTA (Personal Travel Allowance) at ₦400 per dollar.
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“Three days after delivery, we were directed to another clinic to conduct a few tests, including a jaundice test. Registration at this clinic was $300, and we paid $120 for every other subsequent visit — this rounded up to $660. Registration fees aside, we also paid $50 and $90 on different occasions for tests and $90 for my son’s immunisation.”
Asa did most of her baby shopping in the US and spent around $2,500. Eventually, her husband joined her in Dallas so they could return to Nigeria together, and his tickets also cost them $8,500.
“We had to pay an additional $800 to be able to have our baby on my lap. Looking back now, it’s scary how much we spent on having our son, but we were only able to afford it because we decided against a ₦30 million wedding in Lagos, and instead went to church on a Wednesday morning and had lunch with a few friends afterwards. We knew our money could be put to better use, and when we found out we were pregnant, we were glad to have the option.”
How to financially prepare for the cost of giving birth in Nigeria
The jury is still out on how much you must save towards having a baby, especially in a viciously biting economic climate like ours. But remember that while it takes a village to raise a child, your child’s welfare is, first and foremost, your responsibility. So, the decision to have a baby should not be taken lightly; you must be financially prepared to walk this path.
The following are some smart financial choices you should make to help offset the cost of giving birth in Nigeria.
1. Get a health insurance plan
Recall that the women already on an HMO plan did not have to spend money on hospital visits or procedures. That’s because health insurance saves you money in the long run. You may not be eligible to buy some health insurance plans while pregnant, so if you plan to become a parent, you should consider buying a good HMO plan for your family.
2. Improve your saving habits
Being in the business of helping you build better saving habits, PiggyVest has many cool features that can help you become a better saver and financially prepare for your bundle of joy. Aside from the famous Piggybank that helps you automatically save money without stress, there are other amazing features to try if you have other saving preferences.
Safelock is a personalised fixed deposit that enables you to earn up to 15% interest per annum on your fixed savings. If you prefer a joint savings wallet, create a Group Target for you and your partner to set money aside occasionally before your baby’s birth.
3. Create a budget
Budgeting is an aspect of financial planning that will help you reach your money goals much quicker. A child means an extra mouth to feed and extra expenses to tackle, and you can’t afford to wing it. From the day you find out you’re having a baby, get to work on drawing your financial map.
Using the insight provided in this article, you can take your time to include every potential expense you will have to make in the process of having a newborn and start allocating money to each expense using PiggyVest’s Labels.
4. Seek support from loved ones
It does indeed take a village to raise a child, so don’t feel the need to do everything yourself, especially if you have loved ones who offer you support. You mustn’t buy brand-new baby equipment or clothes; there’s nothing wrong in accepting hand-me-downs from people whose kids have outgrown theirs.
Don’t be ashamed to ask for financial support from your family, especially if they are willing to help. Major financial decisions, like getting a bigger apartment or changing jobs or cities, could impact your family finances, so talk to experienced parents or professionals to help you make the best choices.
