Health experts are sounding the alarm over Nigeria’s snakebite crisis, urging the Federal Government to prioritise antivenom production, subsidisation, and nationwide availability.
Nigeria records an estimated 43,000 snakebite cases annually, with nearly 1,900 deaths, yet access to life-saving treatment remains severely limited.
Snakebite victims often pay between ₦180,000 and ₦250,000 per dose of antivenom, a sum equivalent to about four months’ wages for Nigerians earning the ₦70,000 minimum wage.
Experts note that 50% of health facilities lack the capacity to treat snakebite envenoming, while 98% of healthcare workers report challenges administering antivenom.
Dr. Nicholas Amani, Medical Director of the Snakebite Hospital and Research Centre in Gombe, described antivenom as a globally scarce commodity, explaining that most victims are poor rural farmers with little political voice, leading to chronic underinvestment in production and distribution.
Following the death of rising singer Ifunanya Nwangene, 26, from a snakebite in Abuja last week, the Senate demanded mandatory stocking of antivenom in hospitals and coordinated emergency referral systems.
Prof. Patricia Lar of the University of Jos criticised Nigeria’s reliance on imports from India, China, and the UK, which makes treatment expensive and inaccessible.
She emphasized that Nigeria has the scientific expertise to produce antivenom locally but lacks commitment and policy direction.
Prof. Chinyere Ukaga, a public health parasitologist, added that snakebite remains a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), with antivenom not properly prioritised by policymakers.
She called for free nationwide access, awareness campaigns, and partnerships to ensure steady supplies.
Nigeria is home to 29 snake species, 41% of which are venomous.
The Toxicological Society of Nigeria has described the situation as a neglected public health emergency, stressing that weak health systems, poor infrastructure, and shortages of antivenom continue to drive preventable deaths and disabilities.
Experts insist that unless Nigeria commits to local production, subsidization, and policy-backed distribution, snakebite fatalities will remain high, especially among vulnerable rural communities.
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