News

Poverty, Hardship: Nigerians Turn To Organ Selling Amid Crisis

Published

3 months ago

Sep 9, 2024.

As global demand for kidney, liver, and heart transplants escalates, Nigeria is grappling with a troubling surge in human organ trafficking. Investigations reveal that the illicit trade, driven by high demand and lucrative profits, is preying on vulnerable individuals, particularly those in financial distress.

Experts decry the unethical nature of organ trafficking, which often exploits the poor. Data from the Global Database on Donation and Transplantation highlights that between 2015 and 2020, 651 kidneys were illegally transplanted from Nigeria.

EDITOR’S PICKS

EKO HOT BLOG reports that globally, the illegal organ trade generates between $840 million and $1.7 billion annually, with kidney prices ranging from a few hundred dollars in less developed regions to up to $30,000 in developed countries.

The rising rate of kidnapping for ransom in Nigeria is exacerbating the crisis, fueling the demand for harvested organs. In one alarming case from 2023, a University of Port Harcourt student murdered his girlfriend to harvest her organs for ritualistic purposes.

The kidney is the most trafficked organ in Nigeria, underscoring the urgent need for intervention.

Desperation has led many Nigerians to sell their organs, with reports of young women being exploited for their eggs. Stories have surfaced of female university students selling eggs for as little as ₦50,000, and young girls as young as 16 being coerced into the trade. In Abuja, a 16-year-old boy’s kidney was illegally removed by a hospital after he was promised ₦1 million.

Organ trafficking

The recent conviction of former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and his associates for organ trafficking in the UK has brought international attention to the issue.

Stakeholders, including former Nigerian Medical Association Chairman Dr. Charles Ugwuanyi, are calling for legislative action and systemic reforms to combat the illegal trade.