Concerns over medical negligence in Nigeria have intensified following the reported death of Nkanu Nnamdi, one of the twin sons of acclaimed author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her husband, Dr. Ivara Esege, during a medical procedure in Lagos.
The incident has reignited national debate about patient safety, regulatory failure, and accountability within the country’s healthcare system.
A legal practitioner specialising in medical malpractice, with over 20 years’ experience and involvement in more than 50 negligence cases, described the incident as part of a disturbing and recurring pattern of preventable deaths in Nigerian hospitals.
According to the lawyer, the circumstances surrounding the case raise serious red flags, particularly the reported administration of propofol, a sedative known to carry significant risks if not carefully managed.
Propofol requires exceptional care due to its potential to cause cardio-respiratory failure,” the lawyer said. “
An overdose can be fatal, and there appears to be a strong possibility of overdose in this case. Sadly, I am not shocked that a procedure considered routine has ended so tragically, even in a reputed hospital.”
The Lagos State Government has announced an investigation into the incident, while the hospital involved, Euracare, has reportedly pledged its cooperation.
The lawyer welcomed these steps but cautioned that past experience shows investigations are often compromised.
“Such probes must be genuinely independent and transparent,” he said. “I have personally witnessed cases where medical records were altered to avoid culpability.”
Drawing from personal experience, the lawyer recounted being misdiagnosed for a serious ailment and narrowly avoiding tragedy when his brother underwent surgery performed by a doctor who falsely presented himself as a qualified surgeon. He also cited numerous other cases handled by his practice, including a woman who lost both kidneys following negligent surgery, a mother who died from haemorrhagic shock after delayed medical response during childbirth, a 12-year-old whose intestine allegedly went missing during treatment, and an elderly woman who died after being mistakenly administered a paralysing injection.
These are not isolated incidents,” he stressed. “They are symptoms of a systemic collapse. My firm currently has over 20 complaints under review and is actively handling 25 medical negligence cases.”
According to the lawyer, the root of the crisis lies in the collapse of Nigeria’s health regulatory framework.
He argued that earlier systems of oversight—when Chief Medical Officers and Health Inspectors routinely supervised hospitals and enforced standards—have been dismantled. He noted that the last person to hold the position of Chief Medical Officer of Nigeria was Dr. Samuel Layinka Manuwa.
Under the current National Health Act and state health laws, he said, regulatory authority has become overcentralised at the federal level, leaving states lax in enforcement. This, he argued, has allowed medical practitioners and facilities to operate with “alarming impunity,” with no routine inspections, reporting obligations, or effective sanctions.
He further criticised what he described as a governance failure, where Ministers and Commissioners of Health combine policy-making with regulatory enforcement. “
There must be a clear separation of roles,” he said. “Policy formulation should be distinct from enforcement. Independent regulators must be empowered to inspect, investigate, and hold practitioners accountable.”
The lawyer called for urgent, wide-ranging reforms, including the establishment of an independent Health Regulatory Authority, the reinstatement of the Office of Chief Medical Officer at federal and state levels, mandatory registration and inspection of all health facilities, and independent investigative mechanisms with powers to secure medical records.
He also urged comprehensive legislative reform to bring Nigeria’s health laws in line with modern standards of care and patient protection.
While the case involving the Adichie family has drawn widespread attention, the lawyer warned that it represents only “the visible tip of a much larger crisis.”
“We cannot continue to lose precious lives to preventable medical errors,” he said. “This is a national emergency that demands immediate legislative and executive action
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