The Federal Government will open three new cancer centres in the coming days to improve specialized healthcare in Nigeria.
The centres are expected to treat about 2,000 cancer patients and provide diagnostic services to 350,000 people every year.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, made the announcement on Saturday via his official X handle.
He described the initiative as the most ambitious investment in cancer care ever undertaken by a Nigerian administration, marking the establishment of West Africa’s largest network of oncology and diagnostic centres.
Tinubu to commission new centres
The announcement comes as His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu marks the midpoint of his first term in office.
According to Pate, “In the coming days, three newly built cancer centers will be formally commissioned by Mr. President and opened for public access.
“The newly completed centers, located at the Federal Teaching Hospital in Katsina, the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Nsukka, and the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, will bring the total number of such facilities to six across the country, ushering in a new era of specialized cancer care.
“This milestone initiative will train up to 500 clinicians over the next three years and is projected to serve approximately 2,000 oncology patients and 350,000 diagnostic clients annually,” Pate added.
To ensure seamless and sustained operations, Pate said that key institutional personnel are currently undergoing advanced clinical and technical training in South Africa.
Insurance authority to support low-income patients
At the same time, the National Health Insurance Authority has launched a targeted cost-sharing programme to expand access to cancer treatment.
“Under this initiative, eligible disadvantaged patients undergoing radiotherapy may receive subsidies of up to N400,000, significantly easing the financial burden on families and improving treatment adherence,” he said.
A new standard for cancer care in Nigeria
Pate added that, guided by the compassionate and reform-driven leadership of President Tinubu and in full alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda, the government is committed to transforming cancer care in Nigeria.
“We are dismantling longstanding barriers both on the supply and demand sides to ensure that quality, affordable cancer care becomes the national standard, not the exception.
“I now invite you to explore these transformative facilities and engage with this special briefing on what they mean for the present and future of cancer care in Nigeria,” Pate stated.
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In February 2024, the Federal Government allocated N37.4 billion in the national budget to the Federal Ministry of Health’s oncology initiative, with the goal of establishing six fully equipped cancer centres across the country.
- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu subsequently approved the largest-ever expansion of cancer screening, diagnostic, and treatment infrastructure within six federal tertiary hospitals nationwide.
- Cancer remains one of the leading causes of non-communicable disease-related deaths in Nigeria, with limited access to affordable diagnosis and treatment still a major challenge for many citizens.
This initiative represents a major policy shift toward scalable, government-led cancer care and is expected to help reduce Nigeria’s growing medical tourism burden over time.