TG Omori: N1m Monthly Salary Not Enough to Sustain Dialysis

Nigerian music video director ThankGod Omori, popularly known as TG Omori, has spoken about the financial burden of treating kidney failure, saying even a monthly income of N1 million may not be enough to sustain regular dialysis.

Omori shared his experience during an interview on the Afropolitan podcast published on YouTube on Wednesday. He discussed the cost of treatment and the challenges he faced while waiting for a kidney transplant.

According to the filmmaker, dialysis can cost between N50,000 and N70,000 per session at some hospitals, while he said he paid between N150,000 and N200,000 at a private facility. Patients may require as many as three sessions a week, depending on their condition.

He said the expenses can quickly become overwhelming, noting that he sometimes spent about N500,000 on dialysis in a week. Omori argued that the cost would place the treatment beyond the reach of many Nigerians, particularly people earning low or moderate incomes.

“I spent a lot on surgery. Dialysis costs ₦70k a day, but at an exclusive place, I sometimes had three sessions a week, costing ₦500k,” he said.

Omori also disclosed that he spent heavily on surgery and estimated that a patient undergoing dialysis for about a year while waiting for a transplant could spend up to N31 million. He said this figure could rise further when additional tests, medication and complications are taken into account.

The music video director recounted his attempt to receive a kidney from his brother after the family spent about nine months searching for a suitable donor. However, he said doctors eventually determined that the kidney was not compatible with his body, despite attempts to make the transplant work.

Reflecting on the experience, Omori said the financial demands of serious illness had changed his perspective on money and medical care. “Even though money can’t buy happiness, money can still buy some time,” he said. Omori previously disclosed in 2024 that he had undergone a kidney transplant, saying his brother had donated one of his kidneys.