What does it cost to have a baby in Nigeria in 2026? And how family can help
The short answer
A lot, measured against income. A 2026 study by remittance company Remitly ranked Nigeria the least affordable country in its comparison for baby care, with a year of formula costing 131.1% of the average annual wage, and private-hospital C-sections were reported at ₦300,000 to ₦1,500,000 in 2025. Families pay most health costs themselves, so named funds for the delivery, diapers and formula, or a grandmother's omugwo trip let relatives help where it counts.
- Remitly study (2026, commercial): a year of formula costs 131.1% of Nigeria's average annual wage; nappies, wipes and rash cream 123.6%.
- Out-of-pocket payments were 71.9% of Nigeria's current health expenditure in 2023 (World Bank, WHO data).
- Private C-sections were reported at ₦300,000–₦1,500,000, and over ₦2,000,000 with complications (2025).
- Parents reported baby food, milk and diaper prices rising more than 100% (2024). These are parents' accounts, not an index.
- Named funds let family help with the real costs, before the birth or after it.
How much do baby essentials cost in Nigeria?
131.1%
The cost of a year of baby formula as a share of the average annual wage in Nigeria, the least affordable result in a 2026 study by remittance company Remitly, reported by Brandspur.1
The same study put nappies, wipes and rash cream for a year at 123.6% of the average annual wage, and first-year clothing at about 113.7%. Each figure is a separate comparison with a year's wage. They aren't meant to be added together, and Remitly is a commercial company, so treat the ranking as one study rather than an official measure.1
Parents feel it too. In December 2024, young parents told BusinessDay that baby food, milk and diaper prices had risen by more than a hundred percent. Headline inflation was 33.88% in October 2024. The price rises are parents' own reports, not a price index.2
What does delivery cost?
71.9%
Share of Nigeria's current health expenditure paid out of pocket in 2023, by World Bank data drawn from the WHO Global Health Expenditure Database. For most families, the hospital bill is theirs to pay.3
Nairametrics reported in February 2025 that a C-section in a private hospital costs ₦300,000 to ₦1,500,000, and more than ₦2,000,000 with complications. That is a reported range, not an average. Prices vary widely by city and hospital, so ask yours for a written quote early.4
| Cost | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A year of formula | 131.1% of the average annual wage | Remitly study (commercial), 2026 |
| A year of nappies, wipes, rash cream | 123.6% of the average annual wage | Remitly study (commercial), 2026 |
| First-year clothing | About 113.7% of the average annual wage | Remitly study (commercial), 2026 |
| Private-hospital C-section | ₦300,000–₦1,500,000 reported; over ₦2,000,000 with complications | Nairametrics, 2025 |
| Baby food, milk, diapers | Prices up more than 100%, by parents' accounts | BusinessDay, 2024 |
| Health spending paid out of pocket | 71.9% of current health expenditure | World Bank / WHO, 2023 |
After the birth: omugwo and the naming
In Igbo tradition, omugwo is when the new mother's mother comes to stay and help with the baby. One writer in Hektoen International (2025) describes stays of about 30 to 90 days, and notes that the cost can keep a grandmother from coming at all.5
Money has a place in welcoming a baby, too. At a Yoruba naming ceremony, names are given after money is put into a bowl of water, according to University of Georgia teaching material on Yoruba ceremonies.6
Many families prefer to keep a pregnancy quiet and celebrate after the baby arrives. A page works either way: open it before the birth for a baby shower, or after, for the naming.
Funds that match the real costs
When relatives ask what you need, the honest answer is often money for things they can't see: the bill, the diapers, a plane ticket. Naming each one turns "send something" into a clear way to help.
| Fund | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Delivery | The hospital bill, and a buffer in case a C-section is needed |
| Diapers and formula | The first months of supplies, bought as you need them |
| Omugwo trip | Travel and upkeep so Grandma can come and stay |
| Naming ceremony | Food, drinks and the day itself |
| Big items | Car seat, stroller, cot |
| Savings for the baby | Something put away for later |
Set up a baby page on Spray
Choose Baby shower
Start a page and pick Baby shower. Add the name, the date and your link. It works for a shower before the birth or a naming after. Setting up is free.
Add named funds
Add Delivery, Diapers and formula, Omugwo trip, or whatever fits your family. Import screenshots of a Jumia, Konga or Amazon list for the big items.
Put the urgent things first
Guests start at the top, so lead with what you need from day one.
Choose what guests see
Show prices and targets, and Show progress, can each be on or off for the whole page or one item.
Turn on payments
Confirm who you are and add your bank account. Your page gets its own account number, and money goes to your verified bank account.
Share the link
Spray writes a WhatsApp message with your link. Relatives who aren't ready can tap Remind me and choose when.
Questions
- How much does it cost to have a baby in Nigeria in 2026?
- There's no single official figure. One 2026 study by Remitly put a year of formula at 131.1% of the average annual wage, and private C-sections were reported at ₦300,000 to ₦1,500,000 in 2025. Your own costs depend on the hospital, the city and how you feed.
- How much is a C-section in a private hospital?
- Nairametrics reported ₦300,000 to ₦1,500,000 in 2025, and more than ₦2,000,000 with complications. It's a reported range, so ask your hospital for a written quote.
- What is omugwo?
- An Igbo tradition where the new mother's mother comes to stay and help after the birth, often for weeks. One essay describes stays of about 30 to 90 days.
- Is it okay to do a baby shower before the birth?
- It's a family choice. Many families prefer to celebrate after the baby arrives, at the naming or later. A Spray page works for either.
- How can family abroad send money for a naming ceremony?
- Share a page link. Relatives abroad can pay by card in pounds, dollars, euros or Canadian dollars, and it reaches you in naira.
- How much should I give at a naming ceremony?
- There's no reliable data on typical amounts, so give what you can. On a Spray page you can chip in any amount towards a fund.
Sources
- Brandspur Nigeria (reporting a Remitly study), 2026. Nigeria Ranks Worst Globally For Baby-Care Affordability As Formula Costs Hit 131% Of Average Wage
- BusinessDay, 2024. Raising children has become a nightmare, Nigerian young parents cry out
- World Bank (WHO Global Health Expenditure Database), 2026. Out-of-pocket expenditure (% of current health expenditure), Nigeria
- Nairametrics, 2025. Why more Nigerian women are opting for C-Section despite rising cost
- Hektoen International, 2025. Omugwo: a celebration of motherhood
- University of Georgia African Studies. Different Ceremonies (Yoruba culture unit)