Nigeria moves to curb organ trafficking with new transplantation guidelines

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

Amid rising cases of organ trafficking and coerced donations, medical experts have called for strict enforcement of ethical rules to safeguard vulnerable Nigerians from exploitation.

The warning was issued on Thursday in Abuja at a seminar on the dissemination of the 2025 Standards and Guidelines for Establishing and Coordinating Organ/Tissue Services in Nigeria. The framework, introduced in March 2025, is the country’s first comprehensive policy on organ and tissue transplantation.

Chairman of the National Tertiary Health Institutions Standards Committee, Prof. Philip Abiodun, said the guidelines were designed to end unsafe practices and stamp out the illegal trade in human organs.

“We are painfully aware of reports of underage and poor Nigerians being exploited for organs, and cases of young women repeatedly recruited to donate eggs without full knowledge of the health risks. These abuses are stark reminders of the dangers posed by greed and poverty when regulation is weak,” he said.

The new framework mandates voluntary, informed consent for all donations, prohibits commercialization, and requires that only accredited hospitals and trained professionals perform transplants. Registration of transplant institutions and practitioners is set to begin nationwide in the coming weeks, alongside the creation of a national transplant registry to monitor activities and track outcomes.

General Surgeon and President of the Clarion Call Care Foundation, Dr. Iyore James, cautioned Nigerians against patronizing illegal organ markets.

“Yes, you can live with one kidney, but imagine being abandoned after surgery and later facing kidney failure yourself. We must protect donors as much as recipients,” she said, urging the public to use only regulated pathways.

Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Aliyu Abdu, Consultant Nephrologist at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, condemned organ sales as “unethical, unlawful, and devastating.” He pressed for strict enforcement of the new rules and punishment for offenders.

“Selling organs is not only a crime but also carries severe medical, social, and psychological consequences,” he stressed.

The experts agreed that while organ transplantation remains a lifesaving option for patients with organ failure, unregulated practices have created fertile ground for abuse. They emphasized that the success of the 2025 guidelines hinges on collective enforcement by hospitals, regulators, policymakers, and civil society.

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