A bone marrow transplant in Nigeria has been reported to cost from about US$35,000 to over ₦100 million (about US$75,000) in 2025 and 2026. The transplant programme at LUTH in Lagos, set up for sickle cell disease, has been reported at a lower US$15,000 to US$22,000, but places there are limited. In India, the hospital treatment for an international patient costs from about US$23,300. Here is what each option costs, what changes the price, and how long the family needs to stay.
Bone marrow transplant costs
Bone marrow transplant cost in Nigeria and India up to 69% less in India
How much you could save on the hospital cost of a bone marrow transplant in India, compared with costs reported in Nigeria.
| Nigeria cost reported | Cost in Nigeria | India price (from) | You save* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sickle cell congress, Abuja, 2025 | US$35,000 to US$50,000 | US$23,300 (approx.) | 33% to 53% US$11,700 to US$26,700 |
| Sickle Cell Club, Lagos, 2026 | Over ₦80 million (about US$60,000) | US$23,300 (approx.) | 61% over US$36,700 |
| Consultant haematologist, 2025 | Over ₦100 million (about US$75,000) | US$23,300 (approx.) | 69% over US$51,700 |
*Savings compare hospital costs only, to give you a general idea. Nigeria: costs given at the 5th Global Congress on Sickle Cell Disease in Abuja and by a consultant haematologist (June 2025), and by the president of the Sickle Cell Club, Lagos (June 2026). India: indicative starting price for international patients, October 2026; the price depends on the type of donor (see below). Flights, visas and several months’ stay in India for the patient, donor and carer are extra, and we help you plan them. US dollar figures use the Central Bank of Nigeria rate of 13 October 2026 (₦1,335.50 to US$1). The hospital sets your final price after reviewing your medical records.
Reported costs in Nigeria vary a lot, partly because some figures include the donor’s tests, imported medicines and months of care, and some do not. Health insurance in Nigeria does not usually pay for it: specialists said in 2025 that sickle cell treatment is not covered, so most families pay themselves.
Bone marrow transplant at LUTH in Lagos
Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and the Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria carried out their first bone marrow transplants for sickle cell disease in September 2024, using stem cells from family donors. In March 2026 the foundation described its LUTH centre as the first of its kind in West Africa.
- Reported cost: about US$15,000 to US$22,000 (March 2026). That is less than the India starting price.
- What families paid for: in the first transplants, LUTH did not charge for the procedure itself. Families paid for donor tests and for imported supplies.
- Places are limited. In June 2026, a Lagos patient group asked the Federal Government to subsidise the programme because many families still cannot raise the money.
If your haematologist can refer you to LUTH, ask for a written estimate and compare it with a quote from India. We are happy to help you compare the two, free of charge.
Bone marrow transplant prices in India by donor type
The biggest thing that changes the price is where the new stem cells come from. The transplant team decides which type is right, after tests.
| Type of transplant | Where the stem cells come from | Typical India price |
|---|---|---|
| Autologous | The patient’s own cells, collected before treatment. Used for some cancers, such as myeloma and lymphoma. | About US$15,000 to US$24,500 |
| Matched family donor | A brother or sister whose tissue type fully matches. Sickle cell disease needs a donor, so this is the usual type for it. | About US$22,000 to US$37,500 |
| Half-matched family donor | A parent, child, brother or sister who is a half match (haploidentical). | About US$36,000 to US$50,000 |
| Unrelated donor | A volunteer found through a donor register. | About US$65,000 to US$90,000 |
Ranges from published price guides for international patients (February 2025), so they differ slightly from our October 2026 starting price. They are a guide, not a quote.
Other costs to plan for
- Tissue-type (HLA) tests for the patient and their brothers and sisters, before anyone travels.
- Flights and visas for the patient, the donor and one carer.
- Somewhere to stay and food near the hospital for several months.
- Medicines and check-ups after you leave hospital, in India and back home.
We put all of these in your written plan, so you see the whole cost before anyone travels.
How long you stay in India
Plan for one long stay of several months. It usually means a few weeks of tests and preparation, about four to five weeks in hospital while the new cells start to grow, then about three months of check-ups near the hospital. The transplant team gives you a plan before you travel. They also explain every risk before you agree to anything, including infection, graft-versus-host disease (when the donor’s cells attack the body) and the chance that the new cells don’t take.
Finding a donor in Nigeria
The donor’s tissue type (called HLA) needs to match the patient’s as closely as possible. Each full brother or sister has a 1 in 4 chance of being a full match, so the first step is usually an HLA blood test for the patient and their siblings. If no one is a full match, some hospitals can use a half-matched parent, child or sibling. Our article Can sickle cell be cured? explains who can have a transplant and how donors are chosen.
How it works with MedPanda, from Nigeria to India
- Free consultation. Tell us about the patient’s condition and any HLA results.
- Records reviewed by transplant teams at partner hospitals, before anyone travels.
- Written quote and plan, with the type of transplant, what the price includes and how long to stay.
- Visas, travel and a place to stay for the patient, donor and carer, including airport pick-up.
- Treatment in India. Tests, a few days of chemotherapy, the transplant through a drip, then several weeks in hospital and frequent check-ups nearby.
- Lifetime Health Passport. All your scans, reports and discharge papers are kept together in one place, ready for your doctor at home.
- Home with a plan. Your records go to your haematologist in Nigeria, and we stay in touch while you recover.
Everyone travelling from Nigeria needs an original yellow fever certificate for India. Nigerian passport holders apply for an Indian medical visa in Abuja or Lagos. Our guide to the India medical visa covers the papers step by step.
Our sickle cell bone marrow transplant in India page explains who can have a transplant, the donor types and the whole journey.
Partner hospitals in India with transplant services
These partner hospitals list bone marrow or stem cell transplant on their own websites:
- Aster Medcity, Kochi
- Aster MIMS, Kozhikode
- Artemis Hospitals, Gurugram
- Gleneagles Hospitals, Mumbai (children)
- STAR Hospitals, Hyderabad
Frequently asked questions
How much is a bone marrow transplant in Nigeria?
Costs reported in 2025 and 2026 range from about US$35,000 to over ₦100 million (about US$75,000). The LUTH programme in Lagos has been reported at about US$15,000 to US$22,000, with limited places.
Is bone marrow transplant done in Nigeria?
Yes. LUTH in Lagos has carried out bone marrow transplants for sickle cell disease with the Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria since September 2024. Numbers are still small.
Does health insurance pay for a bone marrow transplant in Nigeria?
Usually not. Specialists said in 2025 that sickle cell treatment is not covered by health insurance, so most families pay themselves. Check your own cover with your health insurer.
How much is a bone marrow transplant in India?
For international patients, the indicative hospital price starts from about US$23,300 (October 2026). A matched family donor transplant is usually about US$22,000 to US$37,500, and a half-matched one about US$36,000 to US$50,000. The hospital sets the final price after reviewing the medical records.
Can my brother or sister be the donor?
Possibly. Each full brother or sister has a 1 in 4 chance of being a full tissue match. An HLA blood test shows who matches.
How long do we need to stay in India?
Usually several months: a few weeks of tests, about four to five weeks in hospital, then about three months of check-ups near the hospital.
Talk to us about a bone marrow transplant
Tell us about the patient and any HLA results, and we’ll explain the options, the costs and the paperwork. Free, with no pressure.
Checked by Dr Sreeraj K.V (MBBS, DNB), Reg. No. 93547, on 18 October 2026.
MedPanda is a care-coordination service. We don’t diagnose or give medical advice. Your treating doctor decides what treatment, if any, is right for you.
Sources
- The Guardian (Nigeria): World Sickle Cell Day: carriers, stakeholders bemoan high cost of care, health insurance omission (19 June 2025)
- News Agency of Nigeria: Sickle Cell Club seeks support, urges FG to subsidise transplant programme (20 June 2026)
- Lagos University Teaching Hospital: press release on the bone marrow transplant programme (20 September 2024); BusinessDay: Nigeria eyes $11bn global bone marrow transplantation market (23 October 2024)
- Pulse Nigeria: Nigeria opens West Africa’s first bone marrow transplant centre for sickle cell cure (4 March 2026)
- NHS: Stem cell or bone marrow transplants; Anthony Nolan: Haploidentical transplants
- Central Bank of Nigeria: official exchange rate, 13 October 2026
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India: yellow fever advisory; High Commission of India, Abuja
