Mytherapist.ng introduces pay-later option for therapy sessions in Nigeria

A therapy session costing ₦80,000 may be out of reach for someone who needs help but cannot afford to pay that amount at once. Nigerian platform Mytherapist.ng is introducing a way for customers to spread those payments, while also giving them the option of meeting therapists in person. The company has partnered with healthcare financing provider MyItura to offer loans for therapy sessions through its Mediloan product. It has also partnered with Café One to provide private rooms for face-to-face consultations at selected locations in Lagos.

The changes are part of a relaunch called Mytherapist.ng 2.0. The company is also adding subscriptions for regular appointments and group therapy sessions. For co-founder and chief executive Oluwaseun-Raphael Afolayan, the cost of treatment is a problem the platform needs to address. “We’ve always believed that nobody should be denied help just because they cannot afford to pay for it at that moment,” he told TechCabal.

The loan pays the therapist, not the customer

Customers who book through Mytherapist.ng can select the financing option and apply for support from MyItura. The lender assesses each application before deciding whether to approve it, the amount available and the repayment period. MyItura said its assessment may include identity checks, repayment capacity, existing financial commitments and available transaction information, processed with the customer's consent.

If the application is approved, MyItura pays the therapist through Mytherapist.ng. The customer then repays the lender in instalments. Repayment typically runs for three months, although some customers may qualify for up to six months. The arrangement deals with one immediate problem: finding the full session fee before an appointment. It does not reduce the amount a customer owes. Anyone using the option will still need to budget for the repayments, particularly if they require several sessions.

MyItura said its non-performing loan rate stands at about 0.5%. The company added that its portfolio is still young and that it has not yet written off any defaults. Customers who fall behind receive payment reminders and follow-ups from the collections team. MyItura said qualifying overdue accounts may also be reported to an authorised credit bureau.

Finding somewhere to meet a therapist

Mytherapist.ng has largely operated as an online service, connecting customers with therapists they can book through its platform. Its new physical offering gives users another option. In Lagos, customers can arrange appointments at selected Café One locations, using private meeting rooms within the co-working spaces. The company said it chose the venues because they offer a quiet setting for consultations.

It is also offering in-person sessions through a clinic in Abuja. Afolayan told TechCabal that the company plans to add at least seven locations in Lagos and about two in Abuja within two months of the announcement. There is an extra cost for meeting a therapist at one of these locations. The customer pays the therapist's fee as well as a separate location charge. That distinction matters when comparing the price of an online appointment with a physical one. The session itself may cost the same, but the final bill will be higher once the venue fee is included.

A wide gap between the cheapest and most expensive sessions

Therapists on Mytherapist.ng set their own prices. Afolayan said sessions can cost around ₦4,000 at the lower end, while some practitioners charge between ₦80,000 and ₦100,000. The platform says it has more than 100 verified therapists and has facilitated over 5,200 sessions since its launch.

The range of prices gives customers different options, but it also shows why payment arrangements matter. Someone attending therapy regularly needs to consider the cost over several appointments, not just the first booking. The financing option may help with the initial payment, although the loan terms and the customer's ability to keep up with repayments remain important.

From a list of therapists to a booking platform

Afolayan and Dedoyin Ajayi founded Mytherapist.ng in 2021 after Afolayan struggled to access mental healthcare. The business began with a list of therapists Ajayi could recommend. It has since grown into a platform where customers can search for practitioners by speciality and availability, book sessions and use an AI-powered matching tool.

The service covers concerns including anxiety, depression, grief, panic attacks and burnout. Mytherapist.ng is not alone in offering online mental healthcare. It competes with Nigerian provider Blueroom Care and international platforms such as BetterHelp and Talkspace. Its latest changes go beyond matching a customer with a therapist. Users will be able to subscribe to a therapist, reserve a recurring appointment slot and receive a discounted rate per session. Group therapy will also give people with similar experiences an opportunity to meet and share their concerns.

Will customers be able to keep paying?

The new services give Mytherapist.ng more ways to serve customers, but the financial question remains. A loan can help someone pay for an appointment today. If that person needs weekly sessions, however, the repayments from earlier appointments may overlap with the cost of booking new ones. Physical consultations add a venue fee, while subscriptions require a commitment to regular payments. The company has not provided figures on how many customers are expected to use the financing option or how much demand it expects for in-person sessions.

For now, Mytherapist.ng is adding payment and appointment choices to a service that has already handled thousands of sessions. Whether those changes help more people continue therapy will depend on what customers can afford after the first appointment.