For decades, Nigeria’s healthcare system has carried the weight of a growing population without a matching expansion in infrastructure and funding.
Public hospitals, envisioned as the backbone of care delivery, have struggled to meet expectations.
Nigeria’s healthcare system has, in many ways, reinvented itself, from overcrowded public wards to the steady rise of private medical giants.
According to data by WHO, the private sector provides close to 60% of health service delivery, in spite owning an estimated 30% of health facilities.
These institutions did not emerge in isolation. They are responses to gaps, to crises filled by a mix of entrepreneurs, medical professionals, and institutional investors who have built facilities that now rival international standards.
Some were established by practitioners who had seen advanced systems abroad and returned determined to replicate them locally. Others emerged from business minds that recognized healthcare as both a necessity and a viable long-term investment.
This feature article explores Nigeria’s largest private hospitals based on scale of operations, highlighting the individuals and organisations behind them, as well as the range of specialist care they provide.
Here are the owners of the largest hospitals in Nigeria by bed capacity.
- Founder- Dr. Celsus U. Undie
Kelina Hospital was established in February 2008 in Abuja by Dr. Celsus U. Undie, a consultant urological surgeon.
Dr. Undie trained at the University of Nigeria Medical School, where he earned his MBBS between 1984 and 1990. He is a member of professional bodies including the Nigerian Medical Association, Nigerian Urological Association, Société Internationale d’Urologie, and the Endourology Society.
Over the years, he has undergone specialist training in urology, kidney stone surgery, and minimally invasive procedures across multiple countries. He performed nearly 5,000 urology and endoscopic procedures within a decade.
The hospital is guided by a Board of Advisors comprising professionals from business, healthcare, and international development, providing strategic direction on operations, governance, and long-term growth, while executive leadership rests with Dr. Undie as President and Chief Executive Officer.
Kelina expanded from its base in Abuja centre in Gwarinpa to Lagos branch in Victoria Island. The Abuja hospital contains about 50 private patient rooms, while the Lagos facility has over 100 private rooms, both equipped with surgical theatres, diagnostic units, and support services designed for specialist care.
The hospital is known for its focus on minimally invasive procedures, particularly in urology. Its services include robotic and laparoscopic prostate surgery, kidney stone treatment using laser lithotripsy, dialysis, kidney transplant, and endoscopic procedures.
