Top 10 Highest Paid Doctors in Nigeria (2024)

Have you ever wondered who the highest paid doctors in Nigeria are? Or how much they make every year? It’s no secret that doctors can earn quite well in Nigeria.

However, there is a big difference in pay across different specialties. If you are thinking of pursuing medicine or just curious, you may want to know – who are the top 10 highest paid doctors in Nigeria as of 2024?

From orthopedic surgeons who earn the most, to psychiatrists who take the final spot, we reveal their specialties and how much they take home annually.

Read on to find out if your favorite medical profession makes the elite list of 10 highest paying medical careers in Nigeria today.

TOP 10 HIGHEST PAID DOCTORS IN NIGERIA (2024)

The medical profession in Nigeria is one that is highly respected and sought-after. Doctors in Nigeria earn attractive salaries especially when compared to average earnings in the country. However, some medical specialists are more handsomely rewarded than others. Here we outline the top 10 highest paid doctors in Nigeria as of this year.

ORTHOPEDIC SURGEONS

Orthopedic surgeons top the list when it comes to the highest paid doctors in Nigeria. On average, an orthopedic surgeon earns at least ₦8 million per annum and the figure can rise up to ₦15 million especially for those working in high-end private hospitals or who own their own practice.

The reason for the lucrative pay is due to the delicate and technical nature of their job coupled with the high demand for their services in a country where road accidents resulting in bone injuries and fractures are common.

NEUROSURGEONS

Neurosurgery involves performing complex procedures on the brain, spine and nerves – intricate life-saving surgeries which only a handful of expert surgeons in Nigeria can competently handle.

There was a time when Neurosurgeons were the highest paid medical specialty in Nigeria. For this rare skill, neurosurgeons earn between ₦7 million to ₦13 million yearly depending on their reputation, experience and place of work.

DENTAL SURGEONS

The smiles on the faces of Nigeria’s dental surgeons indicate they are earning well from making their patients also wear that smile. On average, dentists take home about ₦6 million yearly.

The best dentists who undertake complex dental procedures like implants, orthodontics, periodontics and endodontics can charge very high fees per procedure thereby racking up impressively fat pay of up to ₦12 million annually.

PLASTIC SURGEONS

In recent years, the number of Nigerians opting for cosmetic surgical enhancements like tummy tucks, facelifts, breast enlargements and liposuction has risen tremendously.

Leading this craze for perfect looks are plastic surgeons smiling happily to the bank with about ₦5 million to ₦10 million in yearly income from attending to a growing lineup of clients.

EAR, NOSE AND THROAT (ENT) DOCTORS

ENT specialists otherwise called otolaryngologists are also part of the upper rung of high income earners in Nigerian hospitals.

The intricate procedures they perform within the highly sensitive parts of the ear, nose, throat, head and neck come at steep charges earning them around ₦5 million on average annually.

OBSTETRICIANS & GYNECOLOGISTS

Delivering babies is big business in a heavily populated country like Nigeria.

Gynaecologists along with obstetricians earn between ₦4 million to ₦8 million on average yearly to cater to the antenatal and postnatal needs of scores of expectant or already delivered mothers needing women health services.

Those working in fertility clinics also charge prices high enough to land them securely among the top ten highest grossing medical doctors.

OPHTHALMOLOGISTS

Eye surgeons called ophthalmologists make the cut for one of the juiciest paying medical careers in Nigeria pocketing about ₦4 million to ₦7 million on average per annum.

Cataract surgeries, glaucoma treatments and corrective vision procedures add up to huge sums raked in by these physicians that aid vision.

EMERGENCY MEDICINE DOCTORS

The emergency room is unpredictably busy all year round in Nigerian hospitals tending to victims of road accidents, violent crimes or health emergencies rushed in at odd hours.

Emergency medicine physicians earn between ₦3 million to ₦6 million yearly for keeping their expertise and services on standby all hours of day and night.

PATHOLOGISTS

Behind the scenes, pathologists working hard examining tissue and blood samples to diagnose illnesses are also earning rather well to the tune of ₦3 million to ₦5 million yearly.

Their invaluable work goes a long way to detecting and containing outbreaks of infectious diseases.

PSYCHIATRISTS

Completing the list are psychiatrists who deal with delicate mental health cases.

The acute shortage of mental health workers in Nigeria explains the ₦3 million to ₦5 million yearly pay bracket that they can demand to still not have enough hands to address the scores requiring their expertise.

TOP 10 RICHEST DOCTORS IN NIGERIA

Who are the richest doctors in Nigeria? Some of the wealthiest physicians in Nigeria today include the likes of:

• Ambrose Bryant Chukwueloka Orjiako ($1.2 billion): Ambrose is an orthopedic and trauma surgeon as well as co-founder of several private hospitals.
• Godwin Maduka ($1 billion): Another ultra-rich doctor is Dr. Godwin Maduka, a renowned pain specialist and founder of the sprawling Las Vegas-style Pain Institute and Medical Center in Nigeria.
• Bukola Saraki ($100 million): Pediatrician and former Senate president Dr. Olubukola Abubakar Saraki is valued at $100 million.
• Chris Ngige ($40 million): This is another tremendously well-off doctors with a net worth of $40 million.
• Bankole A. Johnson ($30 million): Johnson is a renowned neuroscientist and psychiatrist.
• Pastor Paul Enenche ($25 million): Enenche is a family medicine practitioner reportedly worth $25 million.
• Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan
• Dr. Jonathan O. Nwiloh
• Dr. Olurotimi John Badero
• Dr. Philip Ozuah

And many others.

CONCLUSION

Now you know who the top dogs in Nigeria’s medical field are when it comes to yearly earnings.

Orthopedic surgeons beat all other specialists to clinch the #1 spot for highest paid doctors in Nigeria today with their ₦15 million pay checks. On the opposite end, psychiatrists earn the least on the list although their ₦5 million annual package still places them firmly among high income professionals in the country.

So there you have it – the highest paid physicians in Nigeria currently are orthopedic surgeons while the least paid on our elite list are psychiatrists. With the attractive seven figure incomes our compilation of specialists take home yearly, a career in medicine proves vastly rewarding in Nigeria.

Are you looking to become a doctor in the future? Does your intended medical profession feature on the list of 10 highest paying medical jobs in Nigeria presently?