The Federal Government has launched two major national policy documents and expanded free cancer screening services nationwide in a strategic move to curb preventable deaths and strengthen Nigeria’s oncology response.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, announced the initiatives on Wednesday during a ministerial press briefing in Abuja to commemorate the 2026 World Cancer Day.
The newly unveiled documents include the National Nuclear Medicine Policy and Strategic Plan and the Nigeria National Cancer Control Plan (NCCP) 2026–2030. According to Salako, the NCCP provides a roadmap for federal and state governments, health institutions, and development partners to improve the entire spectrum of care, from early detection and diagnosis to survivorship and end-of-life support.
The minister emphasized that the government’s strategy leans heavily on prevention, noting that over 40 per cent of global cancer deaths are linked to modifiable risks such as tobacco use, poor diet, and air pollution.
“This reality underscores the need to prioritise cancer prevention, reduce exposure to risk factors, promote regular screening and integrate cancer-preventive vaccines into our national immunization program,” Salako said.
To mark the month-long awareness campaign, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, alongside the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), is sponsoring free cancer screenings across the country throughout February.
The screening program, which has already commenced at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Abuja, is scheduled for an official flag-off at FMC Abeokuta on February 7. The initiative will then move to Abakaliki and Jos, with a target of reaching at least 1,000 Nigerians in each region.
Salako further disclosed that eight preventive oncology clinics are now fully operational in federal tertiary hospitals. These facilities, equipped with mammogram machines and modern screening tools, are located in Abuja, Ebute-Meta, Benin, Enugu, Sokoto, Gombe, Kano, and Ile-Ife.
On the international front, Nigeria is working with Egypt and Kenya to establish the African Oncology Collaborative Network. This partnership, expected to launch by the third quarter of 2026, aims to harmonize oncology systems and share innovations across the continent.
Warning that global cancer cases could exceed 30 million by 2050, the minister urged citizens to utilize the available free services, reiterating that early detection remains the most effective tool for survival.
