Professor Aliyu Abdu, a nephrologist at Bayero University, Kano, and consultant at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, has disclosed that between 2015 and 2020, at least 651 kidneys were illegally harvested and transplanted in Nigeria, with their estimated value on the global black market exceeding $41 billion.
Speaking at a seminar on National Organ and Tissue Transplantation Standards in Abuja, Prof. Abdu explained that the illicit trade is part of a wider international network, where about 10,000 kidneys are sold annually on the black market.
He attributed the surge in illegal organ harvesting in Nigeria to weak regulatory enforcement, despite the National Health Act of 2014, which criminalises the commercial sale of human organs and mandates informed donor consent. Poverty and desperation, he noted, make victims vulnerable, often lured with money without awareness of the severe health risks.
“Most victims are left without medical care after surgery, facing lifelong health challenges and psychological trauma,” Prof. Abdu said, adding that the trade is orchestrated by well-coordinated criminal syndicates, often involving recruiters, medical professionals, drivers, travel agents, and insurers.
He further noted that the absence of cadaveric kidney donations and functional organ banks in Nigeria has worsened the situation, forcing many patients to turn to illegal sources to meet transplant needs.
