Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine

Total Knee Replacement in Nigeria

A worn knee joint is resurfaced with a metal and plastic implant. It is the standard operation for end-stage knee arthritis once painkillers, physiotherapy and injections have stopped working.

Also called: Knee arthroplasty, Knee replacement surgery, TKR

Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed 17 September 2026. This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.

Fixed all-in case rate

₦5,500,000

Fixed all-in case rate, one knee

Billed as one line, not a stack of surprise charges.

What the price covers

  • Surgeon and assistant fees
  • Anaesthetist and theatre time
  • A standard implant
  • Your ward bed for the expected stay
  • Routine post-operative medication on the ward
  • Inpatient physiotherapy from day one
  • Routine post-operative X-ray
  • Follow-up review at six weeks

What it does not cover

  • The first consultation and the imaging that confirms you need surgery
  • Treating conditions found during work-up, such as uncontrolled diabetes or an untreated infection
  • Outpatient physiotherapy after discharge
  • A premium or custom implant, if you and your surgeon choose one
  • Care for complications that need intensive care or a return to theatre

Related prices

Revision knee replacement

Replacing an implant that has worn, loosened or become infected. Longer surgery, specialised implants, often bone graft.

₦9,900,000

Partial (unicondylar) knee replacement

An option when only one compartment of the knee is worn.

₦4,400,000

What would change this price

  • A stay in intensive care longer than two days
  • Choosing an implant above the standard specification
  • Unplanned complexity found in theatre, such as significant deformity or previous hardware
  • Both knees done in one admission, which is priced separately

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.

Get a written quoteSee the surgeons

Who this is for

  • Knee pain that wakes you at night or is present at rest
  • X-rays showing advanced arthritis, often described as bone on bone
  • Pain that persists after physiotherapy, weight management, painkillers or injections
  • Walking distance, stairs or standing from a chair now limited by the knee
  • Deformity of the leg developing as the joint collapses on one side

When it is not the right answer

  • Knees that have not yet had a proper trial of physiotherapy and non-surgical treatment
  • An active infection anywhere in the body until it is treated
  • Diabetes or blood pressure that is not yet controlled, which is optimised first rather than ignored
  • Pain that on assessment is coming from the hip or the spine rather than the knee

The pathway, step by step

  1. 1

    Consultation and X-ray₦35,000

    The surgeon examines the knee and reviews a standing X-ray. This is where the decision is made, and where you get a written quote before anything is booked.

  2. 2

    Imaging₦21,600

    A standing X-ray of the knee is usually all that is needed. An MRI is ordered only when the diagnosis is unclear.

  3. 3

    Fitness for surgery

    Blood tests, an ECG where indicated, and an anaesthetic review. Blood sugar, blood pressure and any untreated infection are corrected before a date is given.

  4. 4

    Surgery

    Usually ninety minutes to two hours under spinal or general anaesthetic. The worn surfaces are removed and resurfaced with the implant.

  5. 5

    Ward stay

    Typically three to five nights. Physiotherapy starts the day after surgery, and you walk with a frame before you go home.

  6. 6

    Outpatient physiotherapy₦15,000

    Six to twelve weeks of structured rehabilitation. This is the part that decides how well the knee ends up working.

  7. 7

    Review₦25,000

    Six weeks, three months, then yearly.

Recovery, realistically

Days 1 to 3

Standing and walking with a frame, guided by the physiotherapist.

Week 2

Wound review and stitch removal. Most people move to a stick indoors.

Weeks 6 to 8

Walking without support for most, stairs with confidence, driving for many.

Month 3

Back to desk work and to most daily activity. Swelling still settles.

Months 6 to 12

Final result. Kneeling often remains uncomfortable, which is normal.

Risks you should be told about

  • Infection, which is uncommon but serious and can mean further surgery
  • Blood clots in the leg or lung, which is why blood thinners and early walking are used
  • Stiffness, especially if rehabilitation is not completed
  • Injury to nerves or blood vessels, which is rare
  • Loosening or wear of the implant over many years, which can need revision
  • Ongoing pain in a small number of people despite a technically good operation

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

How much does a knee replacement cost in Nigeria?

At Mezo the fixed all-in case rate is N5,500,000 for one knee, covering the surgeon, anaesthetist, theatre, a standard implant, your ward stay, inpatient physiotherapy and the six-week review. The first consultation, the X-ray and outpatient physiotherapy are billed separately, and the page lists those prices too.

How long will I be in hospital?

Usually three to five nights for a single knee, provided your pain is controlled and you can walk safely with a frame.

Will my HMO pay for it?

Many plans cover joint replacement, and all of them require prior authorisation first. Bring your HMO number to the consultation and the desk will submit the request. If it is declined, you will be told the cash price before anything is booked.

Can both knees be done at the same time?

Sometimes, for selected patients who are otherwise well. It means one anaesthetic and one rehabilitation period, but it is harder work and is not offered to everyone.

What if the implant needs replacing years later?

That second operation is called a revision, and it costs more than the first, not less: N9,900,000. It takes longer, needs specialised implants and often bone graft. Anyone quoting you less for a revision than for a primary has not understood the operation.

How long does the implant last?

Most knee implants are still working well after fifteen to twenty years. Younger and more active patients wear them faster, which is part of the discussion about timing.

Can I avoid surgery?

Often, for a while. Weight loss, a structured exercise programme, painkillers and injections all help earlier arthritis, and a good surgeon will send you away to try them properly before operating.

Prices shown are Mezo cash prices in naira and were last checked on 17 September 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.