Nigeria Dental Care Market Analysis

Nigeria Dental Care Market Executive Summary

Nigeria's dental care market size is at around $32.29 Mn in 2022 and is projected to reach $xx Mn in 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of xx% during the forecast period 2022-2030. Nigeria is in the West African sub-region and is bounded to the north by Niger, to the northeast by Chad, to the east by Cameroon, and to the west by the Republic of Benin. According to the National Population and Housing Census, Nigeria's population will be 221 Mn in 2021. The United Nations ranks Nigeria as the sixth most populous country, with one of the world's fastest-growing populations. A quarter of the Nigerian population (24.9%) is women of reproductive age (15-49 years), while 31.7% is young people aged 10-24 years. Nigeria has a young population structure: 62% of the population is between the ages of 0 and 24, with a median age of 17.9 years. Life expectancy in Nigeria was 55.75 years by the end of 2021, which was lower than the sub-Saharan African average of 59 years and the lower-middle-income countries' average of 67 years.

Despite being a relatively wealthy country with a population of over 200 Mn people, Nigeria has a relatively underdeveloped healthcare system. The government allocates a small percentage of its budget to healthcare, leading to inadequate funding for the healthcare system. Many parts of the country lack basic healthcare infrastructure, such as hospitals, clinics, and health centers. There is a shortage of healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals in Nigeria. Many Nigerians, particularly those living in rural areas, lack access to basic healthcare services. The quality of care provided by the healthcare system is often poor due to a lack of resources, training, and equipment. Nigeria has high rates of infectious diseases, such as malaria and HIV/AIDS, as well as chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes.

There are around 8,000 dentists in Africa serving over 1.2 Bn people, with 36% of these registered and practicing in Nigeria, a country with an estimated total population of 221 Mn. 60% of youngsters with dental problems do not receive treatment for the ailment. With a dentist-to-population ratio of about 1:150,000, the majority of Africans have little or no access to basic dental health care. This ratio is 1:2000 in most industrialized countries, providing a radically different picture. Dental clinics, whether governmental or commercial, are scarce and unevenly distributed across many African countries. Dental treatment is exceedingly expensive and out of reach for the majority of people in countries where it is accessible. Furthermore, dental clinics emphasize therapeutic rather than preventive care.

 African countries also face issues due to insufficient oral care training and instruction provided to dentistry students and frontline nurses in charge of educating locals about preventive oral healthcare. Given the significant shortage of dentists and oral hygienists in most African countries, health administrators must seek promptly for cost-effective ways to improve the population's oral health. These include risk factors connected with sugar consumption, brushing teeth every morning and night, and having regular dental check-ups beginning in childhood. These three activities assist people in maintaining good dental health. Nutrition also plays a big role in dental health. Sugar-heavy diet and unhealthy food will fill the stomach and eliminate hunger, but will not provide the nutrition your body needs to grow and develop. Governments in African countries can impact and improve population-centered dental care through a focused education program that is geared towards developing habits in children.

Market Dynamics

Market Growth Drivers

The growth factors for the growth of dental clinics in Nigeria are:

1. Increasing awareness of oral health and its importance among the population
2. Rising income levels and purchasing power, lead to greater demand for dental services
3. Government initiatives to improve access to healthcare, including dental care
4. A growing population and urbanization led to an increase in the number of potential patients
5. Technological advancements in dentistry, lead to more efficient and effective treatments
6. Shortage of dental practitioners in Nigeria, leading to more opportunities for new dental clinics to open

Market Restraints

The limiting factors for the growth of dental clinics in Nigeria are:

1. Limited access to financing for small and medium-sized dental clinics, makes it difficult for them to expand or invest in new equipment
2. Limited access to skilled labor and dental professionals, makes it difficult for clinics to provide a full range of services and meet the needs of patients
3. Limited access to basic infrastructure such as reliable electricity, clean water, and internet services, which can make it difficult for clinics to operate efficiently
4. Limited access to medical equipment and supplies, makes it difficult for clinics to provide high-quality care
5. Limited access to continuing education and training opportunities for dental professionals, making it difficult for clinics to stay up-to-date with the latest technology and techniques
6. Limited awareness and understanding of oral health among the population, lead to low demand for dental services

Competitive Landscape

Key Players

• DentaCare
• Dentist@Work
• DentaLife
• Pearl Dental Clinic
• 32 Pearls Dental Clinic
• The Dental Place
• The White House Dental Clinic
• Dr. Smile Dental Clinic
• The Dental Hub
• The Dental Avenue

Healthcare Policies and Regulatory Landscape

The Dentistry Council of Nigeria is Nigeria's regulatory organization for dental practice (DCN). The DCN is in charge of registering and regulating dental practitioners in Nigeria, as well as ensuring that dental treatment is delivered in accordance with set standards. In addition, the council establishes standards for dental education and training in Nigeria and is in charge of accrediting dental schools and training institutions. The Nigerian Dental Association (NDA) is the authoritative national voice of dentistry, a non-governmental and non-profit organization dedicated to the national and international representation and progress of the profession, as well as the accomplishment of optimal oral health.

Reimbursement Scenario

In Nigeria, dental services may be covered by different types of insurance, such as health insurance, personal accident insurance, and travel insurance. Some of the major insurance companies that provide dental coverage in Nigeria are - AXA Mansard Insurance, Leadway Assurance Company, United Nigeria Insurance Company (UNIC Insurance), Consolidated Hallmark Insurance, Mutual Benefits Assurance, NEM Insurance, Law Union & Rock Insurance, Standard Alliance Insurance, Sterling Health Insurance, Crusader Sterling Insurance. The coverage and services offered by insurance companies vary, and it's best to check with the specific company to understand what dental services are covered under their policies.