Nigeria’s music community has been plunged into grief following the tragic death of fast-rising singer Ifunanya Nwangene, 26, who died after being bitten by a snake at her home in Abuja on January 31, 2026.
Nwangene, popularly known by her stage name Nanyah, first gained national recognition after appearing on The Voice Nigeria in 2021, where her versatile performances—including jazz, opera, classical and soul influences—won widespread admiration.
According to accounts from friends and colleagues, she was asleep in her residence when the snake bite occurred, and videos circulating on social media showed a handler removing one of the reptiles from the home as bystanders reacted, with some identifying it as a cobra.
After being bitten, Nwangene initially sought treatment at a nearby clinic that reportedly did not have antivenom, prompting a transfer to the Federal Medical Centre in Abuja. Choir music director Sam Ezugwu told the BBC that the hospital had only one of the two antivenoms thought necessary, and efforts to source the second dose were tragically unsuccessful.
Her music group, Amemuso Choir, confirmed her passing in a social media statement, describing her as “a rising star … at the cusp of sharing her incredible talent with the world” and saying her voice and spirit would be “deeply missed.”
Nwangene was also a trained architect and had been planning her first solo concert later this year. Tributes have poured in from fans, fellow musicians, and members of the Abuja and broader Nigerian creative community mourning the loss of a promising young talent.
