General and Laparoscopic Surgery
Inguinal Hernia Repair in Nigeria
A weakness in the groin wall is closed and reinforced with a mesh. It is the commonest planned operation in general surgery, it takes about an hour, and most people go home the same day.
Also called: Groin hernia surgery, Hernioplasty, Mesh repair
Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed 3 October 2026. This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
Published price
₦850,000
Fixed all-in case rate, one side
Mesh included. Billed as one line.
What the price covers
- Surgeon and assistant fees
- Anaesthetist and theatre time
- Standard consumables for the operation
- Your bed for the expected stay
- Routine medication while you are admitted
- The post-operative review at six weeks
What it does not cover
- The first consultation and the tests that confirm you need the operation
- Treating conditions found during work-up, such as uncontrolled diabetes or an untreated infection
- Take-home medication after discharge
- Care for complications needing intensive care or a return to theatre
Related prices
Bilateral repair, both sides in one admission
₦1,275,000
Recurrent hernia, previously repaired
₦1,100,000
What would change this price
- A hernia found to be strangulated, which becomes an emergency operation with bowel involvement
- A laparoscopic approach, where you and the surgeon choose it
- Both sides repaired in one admission, which is priced separately above
- An overnight stay where one was not expected, for example after a general anaesthetic in an older patient
If an HMO is paying, the case needs prior authorisation before admission. Bring your HMO number to the first consultation and the desk will start it. If the plan declines, you are told the cash price before anything is booked.
Who this is for
- A groin swelling that appears on standing, coughing or lifting
- A hernia that has grown, or that now aches by the end of the day
- A hernia you cannot push back in, which needs reviewing urgently
- Anyone whose work involves lifting, where the hernia will keep enlarging
When it is not the right answer
- A small hernia causing no symptoms in someone frail, where watchful waiting is reasonable
- Anyone with an untreated chest infection or uncontrolled diabetes, until that is sorted
- A swelling that turns out not to be a hernia, which is why the consultation comes first
The pathway, step by step
- 1
Consultation and examination₦35,000
The diagnosis is usually made by examining you. Scans are needed only when the picture is unclear.
- 2
Pre-operative checks
Bloods, and an anaesthetic review if you have other conditions. Booked in one visit.
- 3
The operation
About an hour, usually under spinal or general anaesthetic. A mesh is placed to reinforce the repair.
- 4
Home the same day
Most people are discharged within a few hours with painkillers and written wound care.
- 5
Review at six weeks₦25,000
Wound checked and your return to heavy work confirmed.
Recovery, realistically
Days 1 to 3
Sore but mobile. You should be walking the same evening. Painkillers for about a week.
Week 1 to 2
Desk work is usually possible within a week. Driving once you can brake sharply without flinching.
Week 2 to 6
Gradual return to normal activity. No heavy lifting.
After six weeks
Full activity including lifting and gym, once the surgeon has reviewed you.
Risks you should be told about
- Wound infection, uncommon and usually treated with antibiotics
- Bruising and swelling in the groin and scrotum, which settles over weeks
- Chronic groin pain in a small number of people
- Recurrence of the hernia, less likely with a mesh repair than without
Every operation carries risk. A surgeon who lists none is not being straight with you. Yours will go through these with you before you consent.
Questions people ask
Can I just leave it?
A hernia does not heal on its own and tends to enlarge. The reason to repair it as a planned operation is that a strangulated hernia is an emergency with a longer stay, a bigger bill and a worse recovery.
Will I be awake?
Usually spinal anaesthetic, so you are awake but numb from the waist down, or a general anaesthetic if you prefer. You discuss this at the anaesthetic review.
Is keyhole better?
Not automatically. Keyhole has a faster early recovery and suits bilateral or recurrent hernias well. For a straightforward one-sided hernia the open repair is an excellent operation and costs less.
How long before I can lift again?
Six weeks for heavy lifting. Going back too early is the commonest reason a repair fails.
Prices shown are Mezo cash prices in naira and were last checked on 3 October 2026. They are what you would be quoted for the standard case described here. Your final quote follows an examination, because the right operation for you may not be this one.