10 private universities in Nigeria and what it costs to study Medicine and Surgery

• Nile University currently charges about ₦7.15 million per academic session for Medicine and Surgery.

• ABUAD, Babcock, Bowen and EkoUNIMED all charge above ₦5 million yearly for Medicine.

• Madonna, Gregory University and Bingham University remain among the relatively cheaper private options.

• Parents could spend over ₦40 million on tuition alone before a Medicine and Surgery student graduates.

If you've ever dreamed of becoming a doctor in Nigeria, your wallet might need CPR before you even enter medical school.

The cost of studying Medicine and Surgery in many private universities across Nigeria has continued to rise, with some schools now charging more than ₦7 million per academic session. Considering that the programme typically lasts six years, parents could end up spending well over ₦40 million before their child graduates.

Here's how much some of Nigeria's popular private universities currently charge for Medicine and related medical programmes.

Nile University of Nigeria currently tops the list, with MBBS students paying ₦3,575,000 per semester, bringing the total to about ₦7,150,000 per academic session.

Not far behind is Babcock University, where Medicine and Surgery students pay between ₦5.5 million and ₦7 million per session, depending on their level. The university operates a tiered fee structure, meaning fresh students pay more before fees reduce slightly during the clinical years.

Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) also ranks among the most expensive, with annual fees ranging from ₦6,007,750 to ₦6,954,000, depending on the student's level.

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At Bowen University, fresh MBBS students pay a base academic fee of ₦6,089,520. After compulsory administrative charges, admission deposits and clinical bench fees are added, first-year costs rise above ₦6.5 million, while students in higher clinical levels may spend between ₦3.2 million and ₦5 million each year.

Students at Eko University of Medicine and Health Sciences (EkoUNIMED) pay between ₦5,519,750 and ₦6,519,750 per session. The amount covers tuition, compulsory charges and accommodation.

Meanwhile, Igbinedion University, Okada, Nigeria's first private university to offer Medicine, charges an estimated ₦4.7 million per session for fresh MBBS students.

For those looking at slightly lower-priced options, Madonna University charges between ₦2 million and ₦3.8 million per academic session, depending on whether the student is in the pre-clinical or clinical stage.

Gregory University, Uturu (GUU) also falls within a similar range, with MBBS fees estimated at ₦2.5 million to over ₦3.5 million annually.

At Bingham University, Medicine students pay between ₦2.98 million and ₦3.38 million per session, depending on their level.

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Unlike the others, Redeemer's University does not currently offer a standalone MBBS programme. However, students studying courses under the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences pay between ₦922,000 and ₦2,645,720 per academic session, depending on the programme and year of study.

With tuition alone reaching millions of naira every year, the cost of becoming a doctor in Nigeria has become a major financial commitment for many families. And that's before factoring in textbooks, feeding, transport, clinical materials and other personal expenses that come with medical school.

For many aspiring doctors, getting the admission is only the first hurdle. Paying for it is another challenge entirely.