Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Federal Government has unveiled an expanded funding framework and intensified local drug production efforts to strengthen cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment while easing the financial burden on patients, the Director-General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Prof. Usman Malami, has disclosed. Malami made the announcement at the Best of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Africa 2026 conference, held in Abuja over the weekend and organised in collaboration with the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), under the theme: "From Global Discovery to Local Delivery: Driving Africa to the Cutting Edge of Cancer Care."
Malami said the Federal Government had introduced several interventions to reduce the financial burden of cancer treatment, acknowledging that the cost of care remained beyond the reach of many Nigerians. He explained that the Catastrophic Health Fund, domiciled under the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), subsidises cancer prevention, diagnosis, chemotherapy and radiotherapy for eligible patients. He added that NICRAT also manages the National Cancer Health Fund, which provides financial assistance to indigent cancer patients unable to afford treatment. "These are initiatives by the government to support the people of Nigeria suffering from this dreadful disease," Malami said.
In a major push to reduce dependence on imported drugs and improve access to affordable treatment, the government is also accelerating local production of cancer medicines through the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain. "What we are trying to do is domesticate expensive treatments by producing much-needed medicines locally and translating global research into actions in our clinics," Malami explained. Experts attending the conference would examine landmark studies presented at the recent ASCO Annual Meeting and identify those that could be adapted to African health systems, he added.
The Special Adviser on Research and Innovation to the Minister of State for Health, Dr Lolade Adewale, said the government was strengthening financial protection for cancer patients through expanded insurance coverage. She said both the Cancer Health Fund and the Social Determinants of Health Fund would improve access to treatment for eligible Nigerians. "Within the next year, you will hear more about it," Adewale said, referring to ongoing reforms aimed at expanding cancer insurance coverage. She disclosed that Nigeria had commenced three immunotherapy clinical studies for the first time, giving patients access to advanced cancer medicines that were previously unavailable in the country. According to her, drugs such as Nivolumab and Keytruda are now being provided free of charge to eligible participants through clinical trials, significantly reducing the need for Nigerians to seek treatment abroad.
The Immediate Past President of AORTIC, Dr Miriam Mutebi, noted that Africa contributes only about eight per cent of global cancer research despite carrying a significant share of the global disease burden. She noted that research remained particularly limited in cancers such as cervical and prostate cancer and urged African governments to fulfil their commitment to allocate one per cent of Gross Domestic Product to research and development. "Stronger domestic investment will generate the evidence needed to improve diagnosis, treatment completion, patient experience and health systems," Mutebi said.
The Chief Medical Officer of ASCO, Dr Julie Gralow, said many breakthrough cancer therapies had not been adequately tested among African populations, making locally generated evidence essential. She said the conference would help determine how global scientific advances could be adapted to African settings while addressing affordability and access challenges. Gralow added that the ASCO-AORTIC partnership was focused on workforce development, clinical research and training the next generation of African cancer researchers, and announced that the second round of the Sub-Saharan Africa Clinical Research Scholars Programme would open in October.
The development comes just weeks after the Federal Government launched the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) Fund for Cancer Patients Initiative with an initial contribution of N50 million to support vulnerable cancer patients across the country, aligning with the Nigeria National Cancer Control Plan (NNCCP) 2026-2030. The government has also set a target to reduce Nigeria's cancer burden by 30 per cent by 2030. With the expansion of financial protection, the launch of immunotherapy trials, and the push for local drug manufacturing, the Federal Government is signalling a determined shift from a reliance on imported and expensive treatments to a more self-sufficient and accessible cancer care system. As Malami put it: "These are initiatives by the government to support the people of Nigeria suffering from this dreadful disease."
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