The short answer
A useful full body checkup covers the things that cause heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and diabetes without symptoms: blood pressure, weight and waist, blood sugar (HbA1c or fasting), cholesterol, kidney function and a urine test, with a full blood count. By age and sex it adds screens such as cervical screening for women from their twenties, breast screening from 40, bowel screening from 45, and HIV and hepatitis tests. Most important is a doctor who goes through every result with you. On Mezo the Essential Checkup is ₦116,500 and the Executive Checkup is ₦245,000, each with a GP before and after.
Compare checkups and pricesMedically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
The core every adult needs
The NHS Health Check, offered to adults aged 40 to 74 every five years, is built around the same core: height, weight and waist, a blood pressure test, cholesterol, and often blood sugar, with questions about family history, smoking, alcohol and activity. A useful checkup in Nigeria covers:
- Blood pressure: high blood pressure usually has no symptoms, and the only way to know is to measure it
- Weight, height and waist
- Blood sugar: HbA1c or a fasting sugar
- Cholesterol (lipid profile)
- Kidney function and electrolytes, and a urine test
- A full blood count
Screens that depend on your age and sex
The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), whose screening lists are widely used, recommends:
- Cervical screening: women aged 21 to 65
- Breast screening with a mammogram every two years: women aged 40 to 74
- Bowel (colorectal) screening: adults aged 45 to 75
- HIV: everyone aged 15 to 65
- Hepatitis C: adults aged 18 to 79, and hepatitis B for those at increased risk
- Diabetes: adults aged 35 to 70 who are overweight
What extra tests add, and what they do not
Tests such as tumour markers, a heart ultrasound or a stress ECG are not on these screening lists for people without symptoms. They can suit some people, for example with a strong family history, and are best chosen with a doctor. A result outside the normal range often leads to further tests, so it helps to know beforehand what each test is for. A longer list is not always a better checkup.
The doctor matters as much as the tests
A checkup is only as useful as what happens next. A result sheet with no one to explain it leaves you guessing. Every Mezo health checkup includes a GP teleconsult before the tests to set them up, and after the results to go through each one and agree what to do.
Go to a hospital now, not a checkup
A checkup is for people who feel well. If you have any of these, go to an emergency department instead:
- Chest pain or pressure, or pain spreading to the arm, neck or jaw
- Sudden weakness of the face, arm or leg, or slurred speech
- Severe breathlessness
- Vomiting blood, or black stools
Common questions
How much is a full body checkup in Nigeria?
It varies by what is included. On Mezo, the Essential Checkup is ₦116,500 and the Executive Checkup, which adds HbA1c, liver tests, hepatitis B, a heart tracing, a chest X-ray and an abdominal scan, is ₦245,000, each with a GP before and after.
How often should I have a checkup?
Mezo's health checkups are designed to be repeated once a year. The NHS offers its Health Check every five years from 40 to people without known conditions. If you already have high blood pressure or diabetes, your reviews are part of your care, not a checkup.
Do I need to fast?
Usually yes, for 8 to 10 hours, for a fasting sugar and cholesterol. Water is fine. Each checkup page says what to do.
Is there a checkup for children?
Yes. The Child and Teen Checkup is for ages 2 to 17, with a GP who talks it through with you and your child.
Related health guides
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Book a checkup with a doctor before and after
Every Mezo health checkup is one price paid online, with a GP who sets it up and then goes through every result with you.
Compare checkupsSources and further reading
The guidelines and patient information this page is checked against. Care in Nigeria follows the same evidence; what differs is the price and where it is done.
- NHS Health Check. NHS. Patient information.
- A and B recommendations. US Preventive Services Task Force. Clinical guideline.
- Blood pressure test. NHS. Patient information.
Links last checked 29 October 2026.
Medical disclaimer: This guide is general information and does not replace advice from your own doctor. Where your centre's instructions differ from this guide, follow theirs.