By Joy Onu, Abuja
As part of efforts to strengthen preventive healthcare, the Federal Government has rolled out a nationwide free cancer screening programme targeting early detection of cancer cases across the country.
According to the press release issued by Ado Bako, Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations, on Monday, February 9, 2026, the programme was formally inaugurated at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State, by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, who described cancer as a major public health crisis in Nigeria.
He revealed that Nigeria currently carries the highest cancer burden in Africa in terms of incidence and mortality, noting that deaths linked to cancer now surpass those caused by tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS combined. The alarming trend, he said, is largely due to late diagnosis and delays in treatment.
The programme will provide free screening for 6,000 asymptomatic Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones during February, focusing on breast, cervical, and prostate cancers, the most common types in the country.
Breast cancer has a global mortality rate of about 28 per cent, with Nigeria’s figures significantly higher. Cervical cancer accounts for roughly 21 per cent of cancer-related deaths both globally and locally, yet remains largely preventable and curable if detected early. Prostate cancer is the most prevalent among African men, while survival rates for childhood cancers remain low in low- and middle-income countries.
The Minister noted that the screening initiative aligns with the prevention-focused health agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which prioritises cost-effective strategies for tackling diseases of public health importance. He added that the Ministry is also addressing cancer risk factors such as tobacco use, harmful alcohol consumption, and environmental pollution.
On preventive measures, he revealed that by late 2025, nearly 15 million girls aged nine to 14 had received the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine nationwide to prevent future cervical cancer cases, alongside continued hepatitis B vaccination to prevent liver cancer.
He further announced plans to establish a national cancer screening programme, with pilot preventive oncology clinics already operational in six centres. Arrangements are underway to integrate basic screening services into primary healthcare centres before the end of President Tinubu’s first term in May 2027.
Assuring quality service delivery, the Minister said FMC Abeokuta would receive support from specialists at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, to ensure effective screening and treatment.
Dr. Salako commended the Ogun State Government for providing an enabling environment for federal health institutions and praised FMC Abeokuta’s management for its leadership and dedication to healthcare delivery.
He urged Nigerians to take full advantage of the free screening exercise and adopt healthier lifestyles, stressing that early detection is key to reducing cancer-related deaths nationwide.
