Senior Advocate of Nigeria and medical malpractice specialist, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, has raised alarm over what he describes as a deepening medical negligence crisis in Nigeria, calling for an urgent and comprehensive overhaul of the country’s health regulatory framework.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday, Agbakoba said recurring incidents of preventable deaths in Nigerian hospitals point to systemic failures in regulation, oversight, and accountability within the health sector.
He spoke against the backdrop of the recent death of Nkanu Nnamdi, one of the twin sons of acclaimed author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her husband, Dr. Ivara Esege—an incident that has reignited public debate about patient safety in Nigeria.
Agbakoba, who said he has focused on medical malpractice litigation for over 20 years and has handled more than 50 such cases, described the incident as emblematic of wider institutional problems. According to him, the reported administration of Propofol—a powerful anaesthetic known to carry risks of cardio-respiratory failure if improperly dosed—underscores concerns about competence and adherence to clinical standards, even in hospitals regarded as reputable.
I am not shocked that such a simple procedure could end so tragically,” Agbakoba said, adding that while investigations are ongoing, there appears to be a strong possibility of overdose. He stressed, however, that all findings must be established through an independent and transparent inquiry.
He commended the Lagos State Government for pledging to investigate the incident and acknowledged the hospital involved, Euracare, for agreeing to cooperate.
Nevertheless, he warned that investigations into medical negligence in Nigeria are often compromised, alleging that medical records are sometimes altered to evade responsibility.
Drawing from personal experience, Agbakoba said he was once misdiagnosed in a manner that could have had serious consequences, while his brother narrowly survived surgery allegedly performed by a doctor who falsely presented himself as a qualified surgeon.
He cited several other cases his firm has encountered, including patients who died following delayed medical responses, negligent surgical procedures, and medication errors. He noted that his practice is currently handling 25 active medical negligence cases, with over 20 additional complaints under review.
“These are not isolated incidents,” he said.
“They are symptoms of a systemic collapse.”
Agbakoba traced the roots of the problem to what he described as the failure of Nigeria’s legal and regulatory health framework.
He recalled that in earlier decades, the healthcare system operated under a strong supervisory structure, with Chief MedicalOfficers and Health Inspectors responsible for oversight, compliance, and accountability. According to him, that structure has since been dismantled, leaving a regulatory vacuum.
He argued that the current framework under the National Health Act and corresponding state laws has led to excessive centralisation under the Federal Ministry of Health, weakening state-level oversight. As a result, he said, many health facilities now operate with “alarming impunity,” without routine inspections, mandatory reporting, or effective enforcement of standards.
Agbakoba also criticised what he described as a governance failure in which Ministers and Commissioners of Health combine policy-making with regulatory enforcement roles.
He insisted that these functions must be clearly separated to ensure accountability.“
The Chimamanda case has brought renewed attention to this crisis, but it represents only the visible tip of a much larger problem affecting countless Nigerian families,
” he said.
To address the situation, Agbakoba called for immediate reforms, including the establishment of an independent Health Regulatory Authority, the reinstatement of the Office of the Chief Medical Officer at federal and state levels, mandatory registration and inspection of health facilities, independent investigative mechanisms with powers to preserve medical records, and comprehensive legislative reform of Nigeria’s health laws.
He concluded by describing the state of medical care in Nigeria as a national emergency.
“We cannot continue to lose precious lives to preventable medical errors while our regulatory framework remains in shambles,” Agbakoba said.
“The time for decisive legislative and executive action is long overdue.”
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