British-Nigerian businessman and social media influencer Igho “Tiny” Ubiribo died after undergoing a cosmetic penile enlargement procedure during a holiday in Thailand, an inquest in London has heard.
Ubiribo, 43, died in the early hours of March 6, 2026 after developing a fatal pulmonary embolism following an injection of hyaluronic acid and lidocaine into his penis.
Photo: Igho Ubiribo/Instagram: @ego2222
The circumstances surrounding his death were heard at Inner West London Coroners’ Court, where evidence indicated that the cosmetic procedure had led to the medical emergency.
Ubiribo had travelled to Thailand with his wife, Danielle Simba Allen, for what was intended to be a luxury holiday.
During the trip, he underwent a penile filler procedure at an unidentified clinic in Bangkok.
A total of 40 millilitres of hyaluronic acid and lidocaine were injected into his penis.
Later that day, Ubiribo and his wife went for a massage. During the massage, he complained of chest pain and lost consciousness twice.
He was taken by ambulance to Sukhumvit Hospital in Bangkok.
Despite having suffered two fainting episodes, Ubiribo was initially responsive at the hospital and was able to answer questions.
Dr Thongchai Chansirirattingkul of Sukhumvit Hospital told the inquest that Ubiribo had experienced the two episodes of fainting before arriving at the emergency department.
Doctors recommended that he undergo a CT scan to investigate his condition.
Photo: Igho Ubiribo/Instagram: @ego2222
However, Ubiribo lost consciousness before the scan could be carried out.
His wife informed medical staff that he had recently undergone the penile filler procedure.
Further medical assessment established that he had suffered a pulmonary embolism, a potentially fatal condition in which a blood clot or other material blocks an artery supplying the lungs.
Ubiribo was subsequently transferred to intensive care, where medical staff attempted to revive him.
Despite more than 100 minutes of resuscitation efforts, he died in the early hours of March 6.
Post-mortem linked filler to lungs
A subsequent post-mortem examination in the UK provided further evidence linking the cosmetic procedure to Ubiribo’s death.
UK-based pathologist Dr John du Parcq examined material found in Ubiribo’s lungs and concluded that it matched the hyaluronic acid used during the penile filler procedure.
The findings were consistent with a pulmonary embolism caused by the injection and corresponded with the findings of the autopsy conducted in Thailand.
Assistant Coroner Jean Harkin recorded a narrative conclusion on the circumstances of Ubiribo’s death.
She stated: “Igho Ubiribo, a businessman, died as the result of a cosmetic procedure abroad. His death was caused by a pulmonary embolism as the result of an injection of hyaluronic acid into the penis.”
The finding establishes a direct link, according to the inquest evidence, between the cosmetic procedure and the embolism that caused his death.
Concerns over penile filler procedures
The case has also renewed concerns over the potential dangers associated with penile filler procedures.
Professor Vaibhav Modgil, a consultant urological surgeon, warned that such treatments can carry significant risks and may result in serious complications.
The inquest heard against the wider backdrop of previous reports of deaths associated with penile enlargement procedures.
Similar fatalities have reportedly occurred in previous cases, including the death of a Swedish man in 2017 and that of an Israeli billionaire in 2019.
Who was Igho Ubiribo?
Ubiribo was a prominent social media personality and businessman who had built a following of about 185,000 people on Instagram.
He was also known by the names “Tiny” and “Ego”.
He was associated with a lavish lifestyle and maintained residences in Los Angeles and West London, including a property in Shepherd’s Bush.
Ubiribo married Danielle Simba Allen, an Anglo-Zimbabwean socialite and fashion designer, in a ceremony in Zimbabwe in 2022.
Following his death, he was laid to rest in London in an elaborate funeral attended by family, friends and prominent figures.
He was buried in a gold coffin reportedly valued at more than $675,000.
Among those who attended the funeral was Nigerian music star Davido, who was described as Ubiribo’s childhood friend and also spoke during the funeral service.
Other prominent mourners reportedly included Nigerian socialite Cubana Chief Priest and Pastor Tobi Adegboyega.
Ubiribo’s death attracted renewed attention after details of the inquest became public, months after his death in March.
The case has since highlighted the potentially devastating consequences of cosmetic procedures carried out abroad, particularly where complications arise soon after treatment.
Ubiribo died in March, but details of the circumstances surrounding his death have only recently emerged following the London inquest.
