Celebrated Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has accused a Lagos hospital of medical negligence leading to the death of her 21-month-old son.
Nkanu Nnamdi, one of Adichie's twin boys, died on 7th January 2026, and the world commiserated with Adichie, who is one of Nigeria's biggest ambassadors and exports.
The family requested for prayers and privacy as they mourned the loss, but that has changed recently thanks to a statement attributed to the author, according to family sources.
In the same statement, the whole of which has now been fully released by the family, Adichie said the child had been moved between hospitals for tests and was due to travel to the United States for further care.
She accused staff at a Lagos facility of overdosing the boy with anaesthetic during preparation for an MRI and a central-line procedure, saying he became unresponsive, later suffered seizures and cardiac arrest, and died hours later.
Adichie described the actions as “fatally casual and careless with the precious life of a child.”
Euracare Hospital — named in the statement — had not issued a public response as of press time.
Medical bodies have said they are monitoring the allegations: the Nigerian Society of Anaesthetists told reporters it was following the matter and would cooperate with any formal inquiry.
The family still asks the press for seclusion while they grieve.
