The short answer
An all-in surgical price should cover the surgeon, the anaesthetist, theatre time, consumables, the drugs used during your stay, your ward stay for the expected number of nights, nursing, and your follow-up review. Ask in writing about the things most often billed on top: blood, extra nights, intensive care, tests on removed tissue, implants and medicines to take home. On Mezo you see a "from" price first and a written all-in quote follows the surgeon's assessment.
Book myomectomy, from ₦1,000,000Medically 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.
Why surgical bills in Nigeria surprise people
Many hospitals quote the surgeon's fee or a theatre fee, then add items as the stay goes on: a consumables bill, a drugs bill, a bill for each extra night, a separate payment to the anaesthetist. Families end up paying several times at the counter, often in cash, without a clear total. A quote you can compare needs to list everything.
What should be inside the price
For a planned operation, ask whether the quote includes:
- The surgeon's fee and any assistant surgeon
- The anaesthetist's fee and the anaesthetic drugs
- Theatre time and theatre consumables: sutures, gloves, drapes, dressings
- Drugs given during your stay, including pain relief and antibiotics
- The ward bed and nursing for the expected number of nights
- Feeding during the stay
- The review visit after you go home, and dressing changes or stitch removal
- Implants such as a joint replacement or plates and screws, if your operation uses them
The extras to ask about in writing
Some costs are genuinely uncertain before the day. That is acceptable, as long as you know in advance what they are and how they are charged.
- Blood: is it included, how many units, and what if more is needed?
- Extra nights: what does each additional night cost if recovery is slower?
- Intensive or high-dependency care if needed
- Histology: the lab test on removed tissue, such as a fibroid, gallbladder or lump
- Pre-operative tests: which are in the price and which you arrange
- Medicines to take home
- Physiotherapy after joint or spine surgery
Pre-operative tests: more is not always better
Some hospitals send every patient for a long list of tests. Guidance is that the tests should match your age, your health and the size of the operation. A healthy young adult having a small operation may need very few. Ask why each test is being done if the list seems long.
How Mezo prices surgery
Each treatment page shows a "from" price so you know the starting point before you book. After the surgeon assesses you, you receive a written all-in quote for your operation. You pay online before the day, and nothing is paid at the counter. If your plan changes, the change is explained and priced before it happens, not added to a bill afterwards.
What it costs on Mezo
Two units of blood cross-matched and available are included.
Common questions
Why is the "from" price different from my final quote?
The "from" price is where the operation starts. Your quote depends on what the surgeon finds at assessment: the size of the hernia or fibroid, whether both sides need repair, your other health conditions and the expected nights in hospital.
Do I pay the anaesthetist separately?
In many hospitals, yes, and often in cash. Ask before the day. An all-in quote should include the anaesthetist.
Is a myomectomy price all-in?
Ask what it covers, especially blood, which myomectomy can need. On Mezo, myomectomy is from ₦1,000,000 and the written all-in quote follows the gynaecologist's assessment.
Does HMO cover surgery?
Some HMO plans cover some operations, often with limits and approval steps. Ask your HMO in writing what it covers before you book, and what you would pay yourself.
Why would I need to pay for histology?
Tissue removed during an operation is often sent to a lab to confirm what it is and rule out anything serious. It is an important test. Ask if it is in your quote.
The procedures
Related health guides
More patient guides
Sources 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.
- Routine preoperative tests for elective surgery. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical guideline.
- Perioperative care in adults. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical guideline.
Links last checked 22 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.