The Federal Government has announced plans to procure 25 linear accelerators between 2027 and 2029 to expand cancer treatment capacity and strengthen cancer control across the country.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, on Tuesday in Abuja at the National Cancer Control Plan, NCCP, Technical Working Group and Global Advisory Council meeting, disclosed that government is implementing a comprehensive cancer-control strategy focused on prevention, early detection, treatment, research and partnerships under the NCCP 2026–2030 framework.
“Recently, President Bola Tinubu approved that between 2027 and 2029, the country should procure an additional 25 linear accelerators. We are executing a three-year plan to achieve this,” he said.
He said that Nigeria’s cancer burden remained significant because many patients presented late for treatment, while shortages of infrastructure, skilled personnel and funding continued to hinder effective care.
According to him, the NCCP Technical Working Group was established to drive implementation of the 2026–2030 plan, while the Global Advisory Council would provide expertise and international support.
Salako said prevention remained central to the government’s strategy, noting that President Tinubu approved the inclusion of Human Papillomavirus, HPV, vaccination in Nigeria’s routine immunization schedule.
“The President particularly continues to emphasize prioritizing prevention. That is why one of the very first things he did was to approve that routinely, HPV vaccination should be part of our immunization schedule,” he said.
He added that efforts were also underway to strengthen hepatitis vaccination, expand cervical cancer screening and integrate screening services into primary healthcare facilities nationwide.
“Prevention is better and cheaper than cure,” Salako said.
The minister said that construction of six Cancer Centres of Excellence had commenced, with three already completed and work progressing on the remaining centres.
Salako also inaugurated the Blood Cancer Consortium following the donation of equipment and other resources aimed at strengthening pathology laboratories across the country.
The President of the Nigerian Cancer Society, Prof. Abidemi Omonisi, commended the government for promoting a coordinated approach to cancer prevention and treatment.
Omonisi identified fragmented interventions among stakeholders as a major challenge, noting that poor coordination had often resulted in duplication of efforts and limited impact.
He said the NCCP Technical Working Group was addressing the challenge by bringing together government agencies, researchers, clinicians, development partners and cancer organizations under a unified agenda.
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According to him, stronger international partnerships and diaspora engagement could enhance research, technology transfer, capacity building and access to advanced cancer-care services.
Earlier, the Chair of the NCCP Technical Working Group, Prof. Folakemi Odedina, said the group had moved rapidly from planning to implementation.
She said the initiative had united government institutions, academics, patients, advocates, survivors, industry players and international partners around a common cancer-control agenda.
Odedina said progress was being recorded in prevention, early detection, treatment, survivorship, palliative care, research, clinical trials, workforce development and digital health initiatives.
She added that the Global Advisory Council was providing expertise in cancer prevention, treatment, genomics, implementation science, workforce development, data management and artificial intelligence.
According to her, efforts were also underway to strengthen Nigeria’s oncology clinical trials ecosystem and improve patient access to innovative treatment options.
“We intend to produce trained people, stronger institutions in Nigeria, better research, expanded clinical trials, improved technologies, greater access to care, and ultimately better outcomes for Nigerian cancer patients,” she said.
Odedina emphasized that access to treatment alone would not guarantee improved outcomes if patients lacked resources for transportation, nutrition and accommodation during care.
Also speaking, Prof. Taofeek Owonikoko, Global Advisory Council Director at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Centre, said the partnership would improve coordination among international cancer institutions.
He said the framework would align external interventions with Nigeria’s priorities and ensure that development partners worked towards shared national objectives.
Owonikoko described the goal of a cancer-free Nigeria by 2030 as a long-term aspiration that would require sustained investment in systems, platforms and strategies. “I’m very convinced that the 2030 cancer-free Nigeria is not going to be a slogan.
“While we may not make Nigeria cancer-free in 2030, I think we would have created the tools, the platform and the strategies that will ensure that we eventually become cancer-free,” he said.
Dr Lewis Roberts of Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Centre called for increased attention to liver, pancreatic and biliary tract cancers across Africa.
“Liver cancer is one of the major causes of cancer deaths in Africa. Across the continent, it’s the number three cause of death from cancer,” Roberts said.
He advocated stronger screening programmes, improved identification and treatment of viral hepatitis cases, and wider vaccination coverage to prevent liver cancer.
The meeting reviewed progress under the National Cancer Control Plan and explored strategies for strengthening coordinated action on cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, research and survivorship care in Nigeria.
NAN
