Nigerian Singer's Snakebite Death Ignites Debate Over Health System Failures

Tragic Loss of a Rising Star

The Nigerian music community is mourning the loss of Ifunanya Nwangene, a 26-year-old singer also known as Nanyah, who tragically died on January 31, 2026, following a snakebite in her Abuja home. Nwangene, a former contestant on The Voice Nigeria and a soprano with the Amemuso Choir, reportedly succumbed after a frantic search for life-saving antivenom, casting a harsh spotlight on the systemic challenges plaguing Nigeria's healthcare infrastructure.

The Incident and Conflicting Accounts

Reports indicate that Nwangene was bitten by a snake, identified by witnesses as a cobra, while asleep in her apartment in Lugbe, Abuja. Her immediate search for medical help led her to a nearby clinic in Lugbe, which allegedly lacked the necessary antivenom. She was subsequently transferred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Abuja.

According to her friend, Sam Ezugwu, who is also the Music Director of the Amemuso Choir, only one dose of antivenom was available at FMC when two were required. Ezugwu recounted rushing to find the second dose, but Nwangene passed away before his return. However, the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, has disputed claims of antivenom unavailability. In a statement, the hospital asserted that 'medical staff provided immediate and appropriate treatment, including resuscitation efforts, intravenous fluids, intranasal oxygen, and the administration of polyvalent snake antivenom.' The hospital attributed her death to 'severe neurotoxic complications' despite their efforts.

Nigeria's Broader Antivenom Crisis

Nwangene's death has amplified concerns about the accessibility and availability of antivenom across Nigeria, a country that records over 20,000 snakebite cases annually, leading to approximately 2,000 deaths and 1,700 permanent disabilities. The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) highlighted snakebite envenoming as a 'neglected public health emergency' and called for a shift from a donor-dependent supply chain to sustainable local production of antivenom.

A recent report by the global Strike Out Snakebite (SOS) initiative, released around World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day 2026, revealed alarming statistics:

• 98% of Nigerian healthcare workers surveyed reported challenges in administering antivenom.
• 35% of health workers face daily antivenom shortages.
• Key factors contributing to preventable deaths and disabilities include delays in reaching health facilities (57%), poor infrastructure and inadequate equipment (56%), and lack of training and clinical guidelines (42%).

Calls for Urgent Intervention

The incident has sparked national outrage and renewed calls for urgent government intervention to address the systemic gaps in healthcare. The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), while cautioning against misinformation, emphasized the difficult conditions under which healthcare workers operate. Experts and advocacy groups are urging the government to prioritize the local manufacturing of antivenom, decentralize snakebite treatment capacity to rural primary healthcare centers, and engage traditional rulers and healers in early referral systems to align with the World Health Organization's (WHO) target of reducing snakebite-related deaths by 50% by 2030.