Two reported recent deaths arising from snake bites, including one in Abuja, have once again drawn attention to Nigeria’s long-overlooked public health risk, exposing gaps in emergency care and the unavailability of life-saving anti-snake venom.

Among the victims was rising singer Ifunanya Nwangene, popularly known as Nanyah, 26. She died on January 31, 2026, after being bitten by a snake at her home in Lugbe, Abuja.

The fatalities have rattled both the Senate and the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN). In response, Senate President Godswill Akpabio directed the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ensure the availability of anti-venom in tertiary hospitals nationwide within 30 days, while the ACPN called for free access to the life-saving drug.

The Incident, which is the third publicly reported fatal snakebite in the Federal Capital Territory in recent months, has intensified concerns about Nigeria’s preparedness to manage what health experts describe as a neglected tropical emergency.

Read also: Snake bites: Senate calls for mandatory stocking of life-saving antidotes in Nigerian hospitals

Availability gaps persist

It costs between N24,870 and N30,000 to purchase a single vial of anti-snake venom in Nigeria. Yet, for most victims, surviving a snakebite comes at a far higher price, between N40,000 and N60,000, a cost that has become both unaffordable and, in many cases, impossible to access.

To verify the availability of anti-venom in the private sector, BusinessDaySunday contacted HMEDIX Pharmacy in Abuja, which confirmed that anti-snake venom was currently in stock, with each vial priced at about N24,870.

Health experts note, however, that victims often require more than one vial, alongside hospital admission and supportive care, significantly increasing the overall cost of treatment.

Globally, snakebites kill an estimated one person every five minutes, up to 138,000 people annually and leave about 400,000 others with permanent disabilities. In Nigeria, experts estimate an incidence rate of about 500 snakebites per 100,000 people each year in high-risk zones, driven by factors such as poor housing, agricultural exposure, climate conditions and weak emergency response systems.

Will the Senate directive be implemented?

As the Senate’s 30-day clock ticks, however, questions remain over whether these directives will be implemented or fade into another political statement, leaving Nigerians exposed to a largely preventable cause of death.

Public health experts caution that previous legislative directives on essential drug shortages have produced limited results, emphasising that sustained funding and monitoring would be critical.

“Without a dedicated budget line and oversight mechanism, this directive risks going the way of earlier resolutions on insulin and malaria medicines,” the expert said.

Ambrose Eze, national chairman of the ACPN, said Nigeria currently spends nearly $12 million annually importing anti-venom vials, urging the government to redirect similar funding toward local manufacturing to improve availability and reduce costs.

Nigeria records an estimated 500 snakebites per 100,000 people annually in high-risk regions, with higher rates reported in parts of the Middle Belt. Experts attribute the trend to climate change, deforestation and expanding human settlements.

“Rising temperatures and environmental degradation are increasingly shaping the pattern of snake encounters in Nigeria,” Adenike Oladosu, executive director of I Lead Climate Action Initiative, said.

According to her, “Nigeria is experiencing hotter-than-usual weather even during what should be a relatively mild period between November and February, a noticeable shift compared to 15 years ago.

“Such persistent heat can drive snakes out of their hiding places,” she said. “When temperatures rise beyond what is normal, reptiles are forced to seek cooler or more suitable environments, which increasingly brings them into human spaces.”

Beyond climate change, Oladosu pointed to deforestation and habitat disruption as major drivers of animal migration. Forests, she noted, are natural homes for snakes and other wildlife, and their destruction pushes these animals closer to residential areas.

“The more we destroy natural habitats, the closer wildlife migrates into human settlements. When forests are cut down, animals don’t disappear; they relocate, often into communities,” she explained. “In that sense, environmental destruction is also self-harm.”

She added that poor waste management and blocked drainage systems worsen the risk by creating ideal hiding places for snakes and scorpions. Clean environments, proper waste disposal, and cleared drainage, she said, are simple but effective preventive measures.

“Environmental protection is everyone’s responsibility,” Oladosu stressed. “Individual actions, such as how we manage waste, how we treat our surroundings, can directly affect the safety of others.”

“Snakebite treatment is not guesswork,” says Nelson Akinlose, a medical practitioner.

According to him, the first line of care should be immobilising the affected limb, elevating the head of the bed, and administering analgesics and antibiotics while closely monitoring for signs of envenomation.

He added that antivenom is not given routinely, rather it is reserved strictly for confirmed cases. “If no symptoms develop, the patient can be safely discharged.”

According to him, antivenom is expensive and its use depends on clear warning signs such as severe pain at the bite site, swelling, redness or bruising, nausea and vomiting, dizziness or fainting, breathing difficulties, muscle weakness, or paralysis.

Akinwale said there was need to educate Nigerians, especially rural dwellers on preventive measures.

“What steps to take if they suspect snakes around them, and how to manage their environment in ways that discourage snake habitation,” Akinwale said.

He also raised concerns about the increasing movement of snakes, questioning whether human activities are disturbing or encroaching on their natural habitats.

He stressed that the government, through relevant agencies, must investigate the reasons behind the apparent migration of snakes, identify the species involved, and educate the public.

Similarly, a Toxicologist that operates a snake farm in Nasarawa State was recently on Brekete Family Radio to discuss issues relating to snakebite and antivenoms.

He provided some remedial actions to be taken in preventing or attracting snakes to the house.

He Identified some factors that could easily attract snakes and urged Nigerians to dispose of their waste, especially egg shells which can attract snakes 15 kilometers away.

He also identified chickens, rats, frogs and anything a snake can swallow as some of the factors that easily attract snakes to human dwelling.

“All snakes are poisonous except python,” he said, adding that the speed of the circulation and strength of the poison differ.

According to him, tying a bandage or tourniquet around a snake bite causes swelling, which can paralyse the part of the body bitten by the snake.

He also disclosed that trekking after a snake bite increases the rate/speed of circulation of the poison, which can result in death if not treated urgently.

Adedolapo Fasawe, Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES), of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) assured Nigerians of the availability of anti-snake venom in all of its health facilities.

Fasawe disclosed this in a statement, while expressing the determination of the administration to ensure timely treatment for victims of snake bites and condoled with the Nwangene family over their daughter’s passing.

Fasswe described the incident as preventable and emphasised that snakebites remain a serious public health concern, particularly in farm settlements and areas near bushes.

She added that all snakebites be treated as potentially venomous until assessed by a medical professional.

Infrastructure, supply challenges worsen outcomes

Infrastructure gaps continue to worsen outcomes for snakebite victims. Most bites occur at night, forcing patients to travel long distances to health facilities that either lack anti-venom altogether or have expired stock.

Yusuf Adebayo, an emergency physician at a hospital in Abuja, said fewer than a quarter of hospitals in Nigeria consistently stock anti-venom, leaving many victims without timely treatment.

Nigeria also depends almost entirely on imported polyvalent anti-venom, mainly from India and South Africa, making supply vulnerable to foreign exchange pressures and global shortages.

Polyvalent anti-venom, effective against Nigeria’s ‘Big Four’ venomous species, the carpet viper (Echis ocellatus), black-necked cobra, rhinoceros viper, and puff adder, is imported mainly from India and South Africa, with supply chains disrupted by global shortages and naira devaluation.

Those at highest risk live perilously close to rivers, bushes, and forests. Farmers tilling fields at dawn or dusk, fishermen wading in overgrown riverbanks, and herders traversing savannas top the list.

“In states like Benue, Kogi, and Taraba, incidence rates hit 1,000 per 100,000, five times the national average.”

Timothy Olayioye, a doctor in Abuja, said the poor availability and distribution of anti-snake venom remain a major driver of preventable deaths in Nigeria, particularly in rural communities where the risk of snakebite is highest.

“Anti-venom is not readily available and is poorly distributed across the country. Rural areas, which record higher incidences of snakebite, often have no access to anti-venoms at all,” Olayioye said. “Ideally, every hospital, especially those in rural areas, should have anti-venom available for emergencies.”

He noted that cost remains a critical barrier, pushing many victims toward unsafe traditional practices.

“The cost of anti-venoms is beyond the reach of many Nigerians. This drives people to traditional management of snakebites, which often results in severe complications and, in many cases, death,” he added.

Calls for systemic reform

To address the crisis, Olayioye said government intervention must go beyond emergency directives and focus on long-term systemic reforms. He called for widespread public education to counter superstition and misinformation surrounding snakebite treatment, including proper first aid and the importance of early hospital care.

He also urged the government to subsidise anti-snake venom and ensure its wide distribution, particularly to rural areas where snakebite incidence is higher.

According to him, reliable national data is equally essential. “Government must begin systematic data collection tracking annual snakebite cases, anti-venom distribution, survival rates, and the types of snake species within different ecosystems,” he said.

Olayioye further advocated funding research and local production of anti-venoms, noting that local manufacturing would significantly reduce costs and improve availability. He added that snakebite treatment should be explicitly covered under health insurance schemes to reduce out-of-pocket spending during emergencies.

He also called for clearer policies and updated national clinical guidelines on snakebite management, alongside the establishment of a well-coordinated emergency response system across all states, including rural communities. (BusinessDay)

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