Nigerian music video director, ThankGod Omori, popularly known as TG Omori, has opened up about his experience with kidney failure, revealing the financial burden he faced while undergoing dialysis and waiting for a transplant.
Omori made the disclosure during an interview on the Afropolitan podcast published on Wednesday, where he discussed his health journey and the challenges surrounding his treatment.
The filmmaker said the cost of dialysis could be overwhelming, particularly for patients who require several sessions every week. According to him, dialysis costs between N50,000 and N70,000 per session at some hospitals, while he paid between N150,000 and N200,000 at a private facility.
He said patients may require as many as three dialysis sessions in a week, putting the weekly cost at about N500,000 to N600,000 depending on the facility and treatment arrangement.
Reflecting on the financial pressure, Omori said even a person earning N1 million monthly could struggle to sustain the treatment.
“So, automatically, if your salary is even one million naira a month, it can’t serve you,” he said during the interview.
Omori further estimated that a patient undergoing dialysis for about a year while waiting for a transplant could spend up to N31 million. He noted that the figure could increase when additional medical tests, medication and other complications are taken into consideration.
The director also recounted his experience trying to receive a kidney from his brother. According to him, it took about nine months to find a donor before doctors determined that his brother’s kidney was not compatible with his body.
“My brother gave me his kidney after it took us nine months to find a donor,” Omori said, explaining that doctors initially attempted to make the transplant work but his body did not accept the kidney.
He said the failed transplant attempt was particularly difficult because his brother had donated one of his kidneys and was left living with only one kidney.
Omori eventually underwent a kidney transplant in August 2024 at St Nicholas Hospital in Lagos. Reports at the time said he had revealed that his only brother donated a kidney to him.
The music video director’s latest account has again drawn attention to the cost of managing serious kidney-related illnesses in Nigeria, particularly for patients who require prolonged dialysis before a transplant becomes possible.
His comments also highlighted the difference between the cost of treatment at various healthcare facilities. While he cited lower prices of between N50,000 and N70,000 at some hospitals, he said his treatment at a private facility sometimes cost between N150,000 and N200,000 per session.
Omori said the experience changed his understanding of the role money plays when someone is facing a serious illness.
Although he acknowledged that money does not guarantee happiness, he said financial resources can become critical when a person needs prolonged medical treatment.
“Even though money can’t buy happiness, money can still buy some time,” he said.
The director’s account has placed renewed attention on the financial challenges associated with kidney failure treatment, particularly the recurring cost of dialysis and the additional expenses that may arise while patients wait for suitable donors or transplantation.
For patients without substantial financial resources, the costs described by Omori illustrate the difficulties involved in sustaining long-term treatment when several dialysis sessions are required each week.
Omori, who has worked with several leading Nigerian and African music artistes, has continued his career following his transplant and has previously spoken publicly about his recovery.
His latest disclosure provides a personal account of the financial and emotional challenges associated with kidney failure treatment and the uncertainty patients can face while waiting for a successful transplant.
