How to Register as a Telemedicine Provider in Nigeria (Step-by-Step)

You don't need a separate licence to practise telemedicine in Nigeria, but you do need to make sure your existing MDCN registration is current and that the platform you work through is set up to keep you compliant with NDPR and any state-level facility rules. Here is the practical checklist.

Step 1: Confirm your MDCN registration is current

If you are a Nigerian-trained doctor with a current MDCN practising licence, you are already authorised to consult by phone or video — the MDCN treats telemedicine as an extension of clinical practice, not a separate discipline.

Before you take your first paid telemedicine call:

Pay your annual practising fee at portal.mdcn.gov.ng.
Check your folio number returns “in good standing”.
Update your MDCN profile contact details so patients and platforms can verify you.

Step 2: Choose how you'll deliver care

Through a registered telehealth platform (recommended). The platform handles patient acquisition, payments, KYC, NDPR compliance, prescription delivery and consultation records. You focus on medicine. Medtrix is one such platform — doctors keep the bulk of every consultation fee.
Independently from your private practice. Workable, but you are personally responsible for billing, encrypting records, getting NDPR compliance, and providing a verifiable identity to every patient. Most solo doctors find this overhead is not worth it.

Step 3: Set up NDPR-compliant data handling

The Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and the older NDPR require that any patient data you collect — even in a notebook — is:

Collected with explicit consent
Stored encrypted (not plain WhatsApp messages, not unencrypted spreadsheets)
Accessible to the patient on request
Deleted on request, with limited exceptions
Reported within 72 hours if there's a breach

A registered platform handles all of this for you. If you go independent, budget time to file an NDPR audit annually with a licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisation (DPCO).

Step 4: Decide how you'll get paid

Platform payouts. Most telehealth platforms pay weekly or on-withdrawal to your Nigerian bank account. Medtrix uses transparent gross-up pricing — you set your fee, the patient pays a small platform fee on top, you receive your full quoted amount.
Direct payments. Possible if you go independent — integrate Flutterwave, Flutterwave or Monnify and account for tax. Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) treats consultation income as professional income.

Step 5: Document and indemnify

Two pieces of housekeeping that protect your career:

Keep notes. Every consultation must have a written record (the platform does this for you). The MDCN treats absent records as evidence against you in a complaint.
Get medical indemnity insurance. Most providers (MDU, MPS Africa, local underwriters) now offer telemedicine cover. ₦50,000–₦150,000 per year for typical GP cover.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to register a separate facility with HEFAMAA / state MOH?

Only if you are running an independent telemedicine clinic with its own brand, premises, or staff. Working through a registered platform usually exempts you, because the platform itself is the registered facility.

Can I keep my hospital job and still consult on a telemedicine platform?

Yes, most doctors do. Confirm your employer's moonlighting policy and stagger your shifts so you don't double-book.

What if I trained outside Nigeria?

Foreign-trained doctors must register with the MDCN before practising any form of medicine in Nigeria, including telemedicine. Apply through portal.mdcn.gov.ng.

Sources & further reading

Information in this article is verified against the following primary sources, current at the time of review.

Related guides

Editorial note: this guide is for general information and does not replace a one-to-one consultation with a registered Nigerian doctor. If you are unwell, dial *9010# or call 112 in an emergency.