From the newsletter
South Africa offers the highest minimum salaries for top healthcare executives among four countries analysed in a new salary benchmarking by Healthcare Rising in collaboration with recruiter Shortlist. General management leaders start at $123,500 annually, way ahead of Kenya at $95,000, Nigeria at $85,500 and Egypt at $80,750.
In the “retention benchmark”, which is pay deemed to keep top professionals from being poached, South Africa tops at $162,500. Kenya comes second at $125,000, Nigeria at $112,500 and Egypt at $106,250.
In exceptional cases, premium rates are offered especially by large multinationals that compete for scarce senior talent. Here, a South African healthcare leader may earn nearly $100,000 more than a peer in Kenya and more than $110,000 above Egypt.
More details
According to Shortlist, compensation differs widely depending on organisational maturity and sector. Early-stage clinic or franchise businesses typically offer lower packages than larger pharmaceutical companies with international pay scales and stronger global talent pipelines. Traditional healthcare organisations, such as hospitals, also pay comparatively less due to a larger supply of qualified talent and more stable, lower-growth business models.
Premium rates paid by larger multinationals for general management executives vary. South Africa comes first at $325,000 annually, followed by Kenya at $250,000, Nigeria at $225,000 and Egypt at $212,500.
For professional non-executive directors who take governance and oversight roles, the pattern holds. Minimum pay in South Africa starts at $3,900 annually, compared with $3,000 in Kenya, $2,700 in Nigeria and $2,550 in Egypt. At retention level, South Africa reaches $7,800, Kenya $6,000, Nigeria $5,400 and Egypt $5,100.
The premium rate for non-executive directors is $26,000 in South Africa, $20,000 in Kenya, $18,000 in Nigeria and $17,000 in Egypt.
The salary gaps across Africa are striking. A health executive in South Africa at the retention benchmark earns about $50,000 more than a peer in Kenya and more than $56,000 above Egypt.
The differences in compensation shows how wider economics directly shape executive compensation. There is also a significant supply and demand mismatch for senior healthcare talent in urban and rural areas, according to Shortlist.
Our take
South Africa’s consistent lead – tens of thousands of dollars higher at every level – shows that deeper private-sector health markets directly translate into higher salaries.
In a 2025 healthcare index in Africa, South Africa topped the list. It could be argued that its investments in terms of high salaries translate into better quality care.