Author’s tragedy puts Nigeria’s healthcare system under scrutiny

The death of the 21-month-old son of Nigerian literary icon Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has ignited renewed debate over the state of healthcare in Africa’s most populous country. Nkanu Nnamdi died on January 7 after a brief illness at a private hospital in Lagos, where he had been taken for diagnostic tests ahead of planned specialised treatment in the United States.

The family has accused the hospital of gross medical negligence, alleging the toddler was given an overdose of the sedative propofol during preparation for an MRI scan. According to a family member, the child suffered cardiac arrest while being moved, disconnected from a ventilator. The hospital has not publicly responded, while Lagos State authorities have ordered an investigation.

Adichie, who was in Nigeria for the holidays, has issued a legal notice seeking answers. Her relatives have described the case as a wake-up call, urging accountability, transparency and patient safety reforms across Nigeria’s health sector.

The tragedy has struck a chord in a country where confidence in healthcare is fragile. Many Nigerians who can afford it, including political elites, routinely seek treatment abroad. The system is further strained by the emigration of medical professionals: between 15,000 and 16,000 doctors left Nigeria between 2020 and 2024, leaving just 55,000 doctors for a population of about 220 million.

As public anger grows, Adichie’s loss has become a powerful symbol of broader concerns over negligence, underinvestment and the urgent need for reform in Nigeria’s healthcare system.