By Uzuh Rita | Investigative Health Report

Nigeria is at the center of a dangerous global black market in human organs, where hundreds of kidneys have been illegally harvested and sold for billions of dollars, leaving behind a trail of human suffering and broken lives.

A shocking revelation by Professor Aliyu Abdu, a professor of medicine at Bayero University Kano (BUK) and consultant nephrologist at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), has exposed the scale of the crisis. According to him, at least 651 kidneys, valued at over $41 billion, were trafficked and transplanted illegally in Nigeria between 2015 and 2020 alone. Extending the timeline back to 2000 suggests the numbers could be far higher, making Nigeria one of the most vulnerable hotspots for organ trafficking in Africa.

Inside Nigeria’s Kidney Trafficking Network

Professor Abdu explained that the thriving underground trade is part of a global racket where an estimated 10,000 kidneys are sold each year, often to wealthy recipients who bypass official waiting lists. In Nigeria, the trade is orchestrated by an organised criminal web of brokers, organ hunters, complicit medical staff, ambulance drivers, and even travel and insurance agents.

The victims are mostly impoverished citizens, lured with promises of quick money but left to grapple with lifelong consequences. Many undergo unsafe surgeries in poorly regulated clinics, and after the sale, they are abandoned without follow-up care. Depression, chronic illness, and even death are frequent outcomes.

“Victims are mostly poor people who are deceived or pressured into selling, without understanding the health risks. Many are discarded after the operation, with no medical or psychological support,” Professor Abdu said during a seminar on National Organ and Tissue Transplantation Standards in Abuja.

Why the Black Market Thrives

The National Health Act of 2014 prohibits the sale of human organs and requires informed donor consent. However, weak enforcement has allowed traffickers to operate with impunity.

• No Cadaveric Donations: Nigeria lacks a functional organ bank or cadaveric donation system, pushing desperate patients to turn to illegal alternatives.
• Poverty and Exploitation: Extreme poverty makes individuals easy targets for recruiters offering small financial compensation.
• Medical Complicity: A network of unethical practitioners enables illegal transplants, some conducted in shadowy private hospitals.

Global Links, Local Impact

The Nigerian trafficking pipeline is not isolated; it is connected to an international black market, with organs sometimes shipped abroad or transplanted in-country for foreign recipients. The trade, experts warn, undermines Nigeria’s healthcare system while fueling corruption and medical malpractice.

The Human Cost

Beyond statistics, the human toll is devastating. Young men and women — often breadwinners — return home weakened, unable to work, and stigmatized. Families are broken, and communities remain silent out of fear.

Professor Abdu called for urgent action, stressing that Nigeria must establish transparent organ banks, stronger monitoring of hospitals, and public awareness campaigns to end the cycle of exploitation.

A Call for Justice and Reform

If unchecked, the black market could continue to grow between 2025 and beyond, with Nigeria remaining a hunting ground for illegal organ trade. Advocates argue that saving lives through legitimate transplants must not come at the expense of exploiting the most vulnerable.

“The exercise of power without accountability endangers both democracy and human dignity. Organ trafficking is not just a medical issue — it is a violation of fundamental human rights,” Abdu warned.