Most therapists set their first fee by guessing, then spend a year feeling underpaid or unsure. Here is a way to set one you can explain, using what 116 therapists on Mytherapist.ng actually charge.
Most therapists on Mytherapist.ng charge ₦15,000 to ₦25,000 for a 60-minute session, and the median is ₦20,000 (September 2026). Set your fee from what an hour costs you to deliver, what comparable therapists charge, and how full you want your diary.
What therapists charge now
These figures come from the public profiles of all 116 therapists listed on Mytherapist.ng on 28 September 2026. Every individual session is 60 minutes, and each therapist sets their own fee.
| Fee for a 60-minute session | |
|---|---|
| Lowest | ₦4,000 |
| Middle half of therapists | ₦15,000 to ₦25,000 |
| Median | ₦20,000 |
| Top tenth | Above ₦35,000 |
| Highest | ₦80,000 |
| Most common fees | ₦15,000 and ₦20,000 |
Experience moves the number less than many people expect. Therapists with three to five years’ experience and those with six to ten years have the same median fee, ₦20,000. The median rises to ₦30,000 only above ten years.
So there is no rule that says you must start at the bottom. If you want the client’s view of the same numbers, see what therapy costs in Nigeria.
Step 1: Work out your floor
Your floor is the lowest fee at which the work pays for itself. It is not your price. It is the number you should never go below without a reason.
Add up a month of costs: data and devices, power for your generator or inverter, rent if you see people in person, supervision, CPD and membership dues, bookkeeping, and any tools you pay for. Add what you need to take home. Divide by the sessions you can realistically fill in a month, not the number you hope to fill.
For example, ₦120,000 in costs plus ₦480,000 to take home is ₦600,000 a month. At 12 sessions a week, about 48 a month, your floor is ₦12,500 a session.
Count the hours nobody pays for: notes, admin, messages, cancellations and time off. Therapy is draining work, and a diary you can’t sustain costs more than a lower fee. Our piece on burnout in the helping professions is worth reading before you plan for 30 clients a week.
Step 2: Compare like with like
Benchmark against therapists who look like you to a client: similar training and experience, a similar focus, the same kind of sessions (video, voice, chat or in person), and the same city if you see people face to face. You can browse therapist profiles by specialty and see their fees.
Suggested read: How to Get Affordable Therapy in Nigeria: Free & Low-Cost Options
Step 3: Choose where you sit
- Around the median if you are newly independent but properly trained and supervised.
- Above it if you have a clear focus clients look for, such as couples, trauma or addiction, strong reviews, or a language few others offer.
- Below it only on purpose, for example to fill a new diary or to serve a group that can’t pay more, and with a date to review it.
Clients read price as a signal. A fee far below similar therapists can make them wonder why, which is the opposite of what you intended.
Couples, students and reduced fees
- Couples. 89 of the 116 therapists see couples. Most charge between 1.4 and 2 times their individual fee, and the median couples fee is ₦30,000. Couples sessions take more preparation and are harder to run well.
- Students. 86 offer a student rate, usually between about 40% and 75% of their full fee. The lowest is ₦1,000.
- A sliding scale. Rather than quietly discounting for everyone, keep a set number of reduced-fee places each week and fill them deliberately. It protects your income and makes the reduced rate a real offer.
Policies that protect your income
- Payment before the session. Normal on platforms, and fine in private practice.
- Cancellations. Decide your notice period, for example 24 hours, and what happens when a client misses it.
- Rescheduling. Decide how many free reschedules you allow.
- Packages. If you sell a bundle of sessions, say clearly what happens to unused ones.
Put all of this in writing before the first session. A client should never learn your fee or your cancellation rule after they have started telling you about their life.
Raising your fees
Review your fee once a year. Give existing clients at least a month’s notice. Many therapists keep current clients on their old fee until the current piece of work ends. Never raise a fee in the middle of a client’s crisis.
On a platform or on your own?
On your own, you keep the whole fee and carry the cost of finding clients, taking payments and chasing no-shows. A platform takes a share and handles those. Many therapists do both. Should you join an online therapy platform? weighs it up, and how to build a private practice in Nigeria covers registration and your first clients.
On Mytherapist.ng you set your own fee, and you can set separate couples and student rates. See how it works for therapists.
Frequently asked questions
How much do therapists charge per session in Nigeria?
On Mytherapist.ng, most charge between ₦15,000 and ₦25,000 for a 60-minute session. The median is ₦20,000, and fees run from ₦4,000 to ₦80,000 (September 2026).
Should I charge less when I’m just starting out?
Not automatically. Start from your cost floor and your comparison group. On the roster, therapists with three to five years’ experience charge the same median fee as those with six to ten.
How much should I charge for couples therapy?
Most therapists on Mytherapist.ng charge 1.4 to 2 times their individual fee for a couples session.
Should I offer a sliding scale?
If you can afford to, yes. Offer it as a fixed number of reduced-fee places each week, not a discount for everyone.
How often should I raise my fees?
Review them once a year, and give existing clients at least a month’s notice.
Suggested read: Licensing and CPD for Therapists in Nigeria
