10 Lagos Hospitals Offering Advanced Surgical Procedures and Competing with Medical Tourism.
In recent years, Lagos has steadily gained ground as one of West Africa’s emerging destinations for medical tourism.
With healthcare costs rising abroad and long wait times in countries like the UK and the US, more patients, including Nigerians in the diaspora and some foreign nationals, are now seeking quality medical care closer to home.
What sets Lagos apart is its growing network of modern private hospitals, rising expertise in specialist care, and steady investment in infrastructure and international partnerships.
In recent years, Lagos has emerged as a key destination for medical tourism in West Africa.
As healthcare costs continue to rise in countries like the UK and the US, along with long wait times, an increasing number of patients—including Nigerians living abroad and foreign nationals—are seeking quality medical care closer to home.
Lagos stands out due to its expanding network of modern private hospitals, increasing expertise in specialized care, and ongoing investments in infrastructure and international collaborations.
Many of these hospitals are now capable of performing complex surgeries, such as heart and brain operations, as well as minimally invasive gynecological and orthopedic procedures that were previously only available overseas.
To create a list of hospitals in Lagos that provide intensive surgical care, Nairametrics consulted Dr. Oladoyin Odubanjo, a public health expert and the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Academy of Science. He evaluated the selected hospitals and discussed their significance for the country’s healthcare system.
Dr. Odubanjo noted, “It is true that the new high-tech hospitals we have are helping to redefine medical tourism. However, they exist to fill the gaps left by the government, especially as access to such services becomes increasingly difficult in Nigeria’s tertiary hospitals.”
He pointed out that these hospitals now offer treatments that once required traveling abroad, obtaining foreign currency, and applying for visas. Some Nigerians in the UK, frustrated by long waiting lists, are returning home for treatment. For those without insurance, paying out-of-pocket for care in Nigeria is often more affordable than in the US.
However, Dr. Odubanjo expressed concerns about equity, stating, “There is a significant gap between the rich and the poor if only private hospitals can provide this level of care.
This report highlights the top 10 hospitals in Lagos known for intensive surgeries, chosen based on their capacity, ICU facilities, specialist expertise, infrastructure, track record, accreditation, and background.
These hospitals not only serve Nigerians but also attract patients from Ghana, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, the UK, and the US, making them vital to Nigeria’s expanding medical tourism sector.
Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), located in Idi-Araba, was established in 1962 by the Federal Government under the University of Lagos Act. It is a public teaching hospital that trains medical professionals and provides tertiary healthcare services.
Accreditation: LUTH is fully accredited by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), the West African College of Surgeons (WACS), and the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), reinforcing its role as both a service provider and a training ground for future medical specialists.
Specialty Focus: Cardiothoracic, neurosurgery, general surgery, pediatrics, oncology.
Surgeries/Year: Over 3,000 complex surgeries annually.
ICU Capacity: More than 20 beds equipped with advanced monitoring technology.
LUTH is Nigeria’s leading teaching hospital, affiliated with the University of Lagos and the College of Medicine. It remains the preferred public facility for affordable, intensive surgical interventions, especially for lower-income patients. Despite facing infrastructure challenges, it has built a strong reputation for handling complex cases.
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