Former “The Voice Nigeria” contestant Ifunanya Nwangene has died after she was bitten by a snake while she was asleep at her home in Abuja, Nigeria. She was 26.
In a statement shared on Facebook, Sam Ezugwu, the co-founder and music director of the Amemuso Choir of which Nwangene was a member, announced that the singer had died at a hospital in Nigeria on Saturday due to a “snake bite.”
“Amemuso Choir [regrets] to announce the sudden demise of our beloved soprano who passed away yesterday 31st January 2026 at the Federal Medical Center due to a snake bite,” the statement read. “A rising star, Ifunanya was on the cusp of sharing her incredible talent with the world. Her voice and spirit will be deeply missed.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi for comment.
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In 2021, Nwangene appeared as a contestant on season three of the Nigerian version of the global “The Voice” franchise. In a clip from her audition, Nwangene was seen singing Rihanna‘s hit “Take a Bow” and her performance prompted two judges to turn their chairs around. According to a post on Nwangene’s Instagram account, she later competed on “The Voice Nigeria” judge Waje Iruobe’s team.
Per Nwangene’s Instagram account, she also performed at weddings, festivals and events. The singer, who was also known professionally as Nanyah, also worked as an architect.
During an interview with the BBC published Sunday, Ezugwu said that Nwangene was planning to perform her first solo concert later this year.
In videos shared on social media, handlers could be seen removing two snakes from Nwangene’s home and a bystander was heard identifying one as a cobra.
Nwangene’s friend Hilary Obinna, who also performed with her, explained that he had been told the singer was sleeping when “the snake bite woke her up” and two snakes were later discovered in her home.
Obinna told the outlet that Nwangene first went to a nearby clinic for treatment, but the facility lacked antivenom so she sought treatment at a hospital.
While speaking with the BBC, Ezugwu said he hurried to the hospital on Saturday after being informed that she had been admitted. He claimed that the facility had one of the necessary antivenoms but lacked the other.
“While they were trying to stabilize her, she could not speak but she could make hand gestures,” Ezugu said. “She was struggling to breathe.”
Ezugwu told the outlet that all of the members of the Amemuso Choir gathered at the hospital on Saturday night, saying they were “hoping that a miracle would happen.”
He told the BBC said he went out to look for the missing antivenom but returned to learn that Nwangene had passed away.
In a statement to the BBC, the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi denied that antivenom had been unavailable and disputed claims that its response fell short, saying they were “unfounded and do not reflect the reality of the situation.”
“Our medical staff provided immediate and appropriate treatment, including resuscitation efforts, intravenous fluids, intranasal oxygen, and the administration of polyvalent snake antivenom,” the hospital’s statement read.
According to the hospital, a “thorough but swift” assessment revealed that Nwangene had experienced severe complications from the bite. Her condition declined rapidly prior to an intensive care transfer, and efforts to resuscitate her were unsuccessful.
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“We stand by the quality of care and dedication our team demonstrates daily,” the hospital concluded.
While speaking with the BBC, Obinna recalled Nwangene as “a very wonderful girl, she is humble – very intelligent and very talented.”
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“Everybody is shattered,” he said. “We could not sleep at night.”
Obinna shared a tribute to Nwangene on Instagram, post a photo of her and a video in which she was seen performing with a group of singers.
“May God receive your soul, Nanya. It is really hard to believe,” a message on the post read.
In the caption, Obinna wrote, “IFY, you’ll be raised up on the last day with others who lived beautiful lives. “NO ONE CAN REALLY REPLACE YOU,” he continued. “YOU WERE UNIQUE AND BLESSED WHILE WITH US HERE. “IT’S REALLY HARD TO POST THIS but because you touched a lot of lives, we can’t help but share this sad news.” “And to all who are living, living a good life is what attracts you to people.” “REST IN PEACE NANYA Ifunanya Nwangene,” he concluded.
