
A shocking revelation has emerged on social media, sparking outrage and concern across Nigeria, after a medical doctor took to X (formerly Twitter) to expose a disturbing survival strategy being adopted by many young female students in Nigerian universities — selling their eggs to fertility clinics as a means to make ends meet.
The doctor, whose identity remains withheld for professional reasons, shared a thread highlighting the growing trend of egg donation among undergraduate women, citing economic hardship, rising tuition costs, lack of family support, and widespread unemployment as key drivers. The tweet that sparked the storm read:
“In the last three months alone, I’ve seen over 40 girls under 25 come to the clinic to sell their eggs. This is not empowerment. This is desperation fueled by a broken economy.”
The revelation has since gone viral, amassing thousands of shares, reactions, and heated debates online.
According to the doctor, many of these girls arrive quietly, sometimes with roommates or friends, having heard through underground networks that they can earn between ₦150,000 to ₦250,000 per donation — a sum that could pay rent, school fees, or even feed an entire family.
While egg donation is legal and medically regulated in some developed countries, the process is often exploitative and largely unregulated in Nigeria.
Some clinics operate in shady corners, bypassing medical ethics, skipping proper psychological evaluations, and putting the long-term health of these young donors at risk.
“This is not just a health risk, it’s a moral crisis,” one user commented under the viral post. “Our girls are being pushed into bio-commodification. First it was ‘sugar daddies’, now it’s this.”
Critics are now calling on the Federal Ministry of Health and NAFDAC to urgently step in, regulate the fertility industry, and establish strict guidelines around donor recruitment and compensation.
Others are urging schools and government agencies to provide financial support and mental health counseling for vulnerable female students.
What’s even more disturbing, the doctor claims, is the frequency of return visits, with some girls attempting to donate multiple times within short intervals — against medical advice — just to keep surviving in the crumbling economy.
There are also fears of exploitation by intermediaries who scout campuses for girls and take a cut from their payouts.
A sociology professor from the University of Lagos, reacting to the trend, stated:
“This is not empowerment. It’s an alarm bell. When the youth — especially the female population — start selling their own biology for survival, it is not just poverty. It’s systemic failure.”
The situation paints a grim picture of the socio-economic state of Nigerian youth. With fuel prices soaring, food inflation at an all-time high, and public education becoming increasingly unaffordable, many fear that even more desperate measures might follow if nothing is done.
While some commentators argue that egg donation is a matter of choice and bodily autonomy, others insist that choices made under economic duress cannot truly be called 'free will'.
One post on X summed up the national mood perfectly:
“This country has failed its daughters.”
As Nigerians digest the implications of this haunting reality, one thing remains clear — young women should not have to sell their eggs just to survive.
Stay with Busterblog.com for ongoing coverage, expert interviews, and deeper insights into this developing story.