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The short answer
Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) does not publish a current tariff online that we could find as at October 2026, so the only reliable figures are the ones on the invoice at the hospital's cash points. Expect separate charges for the patient card (folder), each consultation, every test and drug, and an admission deposit; if you are enrolled with KSCHMA, the Kano State health insurance scheme, much of that is covered at accredited facilities.
Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital is one of the main referral hospitals for Kano and the wider North West, and most people arrive there either through a referral letter or through the emergency unit. The question patients and families ask first is what it will cost. This guide sets out how charging works at a federal teaching hospital, which parts of the bill you can plan for, and how to keep the cost down. We could not find a published AKTH price list on an official page as at October 2026, so every naira figure below is a labelled example to show the arithmetic, not a quoted AKTH charge.
How charging works at a teaching hospital
Federal teaching hospitals in Nigeria generally operate on a pay-as-you-go basis for patients who are not covered by insurance. You do not receive one bill at the end; you receive a series of small invoices, and each one must be paid at a cash point or by transfer before the next service is given. A typical first visit has these steps:
- Registration (opening a folder or card). Health Records opens a hospital number for you. This is a one-off charge, and you bring the card on every later visit.
- Consultation. Paid each time you see a doctor. Specialist clinics may cost more than general outpatient or emergency review.
- Investigations. Each laboratory test and each scan is billed separately, after the doctor writes a request.
- Drugs. Prescriptions are filled at the hospital pharmacy against payment, or bought outside.
- Admission deposit. If you are admitted, the ward asks for a deposit before or shortly after admission. Consumables, feeding and procedures are drawn against it.
Deposits at teaching hospitals can be large and are revised from time to time. For comparison only, a memo reported by Blueprint in February 2026 showed the University of Benin Teaching Hospital raising its intensive care deposit to ₦1,000,000 and setting ₦150,000 for medical wards. That is UBTH, not AKTH, but it shows the scale families should be ready to ask about.
A worked example of a first visit
The table uses example figures only. Replace each line with the amounts on your AKTH invoices.
| Item | Example amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Registration and card | ₦3,000 (example) | One-off; keep the card |
| Specialist clinic consultation | ₦5,000 (example) | Paid per visit |
| Full blood count and malaria test | ₦8,000 (example) | Two separate requests |
| Abdominal ultrasound | ₦15,000 (example) | Booked for a later date |
| Drugs for two weeks | ₦12,000 (example) | Hospital pharmacy |
| Total for the first visit | ₦43,000 (example) | 3,000 + 5,000 + 8,000 + 15,000 + 12,000 |
If the doctor admits the patient, add the deposit and a weekly allowance for consumables. A family that budgets only for the first day often finds itself paying again within the week, so ask the ward how much the deposit usually covers and how often it is topped up.
How KSCHMA cover changes the bill
The Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KSCHMA), set up under Law No. 3 of 2016, runs the state health insurance scheme. At its December 2025 briefing, reported by the News Agency of Nigeria, the agency said 933,014 people were enrolled, up from 497,262 in 2023, and that it works through 614 empanelled facilities. It also runs programmes for vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, children under five, people with disabilities and people with chronic conditions, through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and a state-funded vulnerable group programme.
If you are an enrollee, you are normally seen first at your chosen primary facility, which refers you on when specialist care is needed. With a valid referral, the services in your benefit package are billed to the scheme rather than to you. Read KSCHMA health insurance in Kano for how to join and what to check about AKTH as a referral centre.
Ways to keep costs under control
- Bring every earlier result. Tests done elsewhere in the last few weeks may be accepted, saving a repeat.
- Ask for the request forms together. Paying for all tests at once avoids repeated queues and lets you see the total.
- Keep every receipt. You need them for insurance claims, employer refunds and any dispute about what has been paid.
- Ask about the social welfare unit. Teaching hospitals usually have a social welfare office for patients who cannot pay; ask the ward or records staff how to be assessed.
- Check prices outside for drugs. Where the pharmacy is out of stock, compare two or three nearby pharmacies before buying.
What to check first
- Whether you have a referral letter. Some clinics will not book you without one.
- Whether you are covered by KSCHMA, NHIA or an employer scheme, and whether AKTH accepts that cover for your condition.
- The current registration and consultation charge, from the records or cash point staff on the day.
- The admission deposit for the specific ward, and what it covers.
- How the hospital accepts payment, and whether transfers need to be shown at the cash point before service.
Where Pryme fits
Hospital bills arrive in pieces, so it helps to keep medical money apart from daily spending. A Flexible Savings Box on Pryme Boxes can hold a family health reserve in naira, and relatives abroad can send to a Pryme account in their own currency and convert with Swap when a bill is due. If you need a statement of what you paid, a verifiable statement through VerifyDoc.ai can support a claim.
Questions people ask
How much is the AKTH card fee?
AKTH does not publish its current card or registration fee online that we could find as at October 2026. Ask at Health Records or the cash point; the amount is on your invoice.
Can I use KSCHMA at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital?
KSCHMA works through accredited facilities and referrals. Confirm at the AKTH health insurance desk that your plan covers the service before you pay.
Does AKTH treat emergencies before payment?
Ask at the emergency unit on arrival. Emergency care policies change, and the staff on duty will explain what must be paid and when.
How much deposit does AKTH collect for admission?
It depends on the ward and is not published online. Ask the admitting ward for the current deposit and what it covers.
Sources
- Peoples Gazette (NAN): Kano health insurance agency enrols 933,000 residents (13 Dec 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- Blueprint: UBTH increases intensive care admission deposit to N1m (23 Feb 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.