Nigeria is in mourning following the death of aspiring singer Ifunanya Nwangene, 26, who died on Saturday, January 31, 2026, after being bitten by a snake in her Abuja apartment.
Nwangene, who rose to prominence after appearing on The Voice Nigeria in 2021, was celebrated for her versatility, seamlessly blending jazz, opera, classical music, and soul.
Videos shared on social media showed a snake handler removing a snake from her apartment as onlookers screamed, “It is a cobra!”
A close friend, Sam Ezugwu, co-founder and music director of the Amemuso Choir, where Nwangene sang, described her as a “rising star” who had been planning her first solo concert later this year. She was also a trained architect.
Another friend, Hillary Obinna, told the BBC that Nwangene had been asleep when the snake bite woke her. Two snakes were reportedly found in her apartment.
Nwangene first sought treatment at a nearby clinic, but they did not have antivenom, prompting her transfer to Federal Medical Centre, Jabi. Ezugwu said he rushed to the hospital on Saturday after learning she had been admitted. The hospital reportedly had one type of antivenom but not the other.
“While they were trying to stabilise her, she could not speak but was able to make hand gestures. She was struggling to breathe,” Ezugwu said. He added that he drove out in search of the missing antivenom but returned to find she had passed away.
He described the choir’s visit to the hospital that evening as “hoping that a miracle would happen.”
The hospital, however, denied claims that antivenom was unavailable or that its response was inadequate. In a statement, Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, said:
“Our medical staff provided immediate and appropriate treatment, including resuscitation efforts, intravenous fluids, intranasal oxygen, and the administration of polyvalent snake antivenom. A thorough but quick assessment showed she had suffered severe complications from the bite. Her condition suddenly deteriorated before transfer to intensive care, and medics were unable to revive her. We stand by the quality of care and dedication our team demonstrates daily.”
Obinna described Nwangene as “a very wonderful girl, humble, intelligent, and talented,” adding, “Everybody is shattered. We could not sleep at night.”
Her death has reignited debate in Nigeria over healthcare quality and patient safety, amid recent allegations of medical negligence, including the death of novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s 21-month-old son, a case in which the hospital denied wrongdoing.
In response to public concern, Nigeria’s Health Minister acknowledged “systemic challenges” in the health system and announced the creation of a national task force on clinical governance and patient safety.
Snakebite victims in Nigeria are mostly in rural areas, making Nwangene’s death in an upscale part of Abuja particularly shocking. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that venomous snakebites are a neglected public health issue in many tropical and subtropical countries.
In Africa, 435,000 to 580,000 snakebites requiring treatment occur annually, predominantly affecting women, children, and farmers in rural communities with weak health systems. These bites cause approximately 30,000 deaths per year in sub-Saharan Africa, though some estimates suggest the actual toll is higher.
Experts highlight that the shortage of antivenom, its high cost, and storage challenges due to unreliable electricity contribute to underreporting. Many victims also turn to traditional healers, meaning the true scale of the problem is difficult to assess.
