He Federal Government has expanded financial support for cancer patients through targeted health funds and insurance initiatives, while increasing investments in local research, drug production and clinical trials aimed at improving access to affordable cancer care.
The Director General of the National Institute of Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Prof. Usman Malami, revealed this on Saturday at the Africa 2026 Best of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference held in Abuja.
The conference, organized in collaboration with the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), had as its theme: “From global discovery to local delivery: bringing Africa to the forefront of cancer care.”
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Malami said the Federal Government had introduced several interventions to reduce the financial burden of cancer treatment, recognizing that the cost of care remained out of reach for many Nigerians.
He explained that the Catastrophic Health Fund, domiciled at the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), subsidizes cancer prevention, diagnosis, chemotherapy and radiotherapy for eligible patients.
He added that NICRAT also administers the National Cancer Health Fund, which provides financial assistance to indigent cancer patients.
“These are government initiatives to support the people of Nigeria who are suffering from this terrible disease,” Malami said.
He also said the Presidential Initiative to Unlock the Healthcare Value Chain would accelerate local production of cancer drugs, reducing dependence on imported drugs while improving access to affordable treatments.
According to him, experts attending the conference will examine landmark studies presented at the recent ASCO Annual Meeting and identify those that could be adapted to African health systems.
“What we are trying to do is domesticate expensive treatments by locally producing much-needed medicines and translating global research into actions in our clinics,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr Lolade Adewale, Special Adviser on Research and Innovation to the Minister of State for Health, said the government was strengthening the financial protection of cancer patients through expanded insurance coverage.
He said both the Cancer Health Fund and the Social Determinants of Health Fund would improve access to treatment for eligible Nigerians.
“Over the next year, you’ll hear more about this,” Adewale said, referring to ongoing reforms aimed at expanding cancer insurance coverage.
He revealed that Nigeria had for the first time initiated three immunotherapy clinical trials, giving patients access to advanced oncology drugs previously unavailable in the country.
According to her, drugs such as Nivolumab and Keytruda are now provided free of charge to eligible participants through clinical trials, reducing the need for Nigerians to seek treatment abroad.
AORTIC immediate past president Dr Miriam Mutebi said Africa contributes only about eight per cent of global cancer research despite bearing a significant share of the global disease burden.
He noted that research remained particularly limited in cancers such as cervical and prostate cancer and urged African governments to fulfill their commitment to allocate one per cent of Gross Domestic Product to research and development.
“Stronger national investment will generate the evidence needed to improve diagnosis, treatment completion, patient experience and health systems,” Mutebi said.
ASCO medical director Dr Julie Gralow said many innovative cancer therapies had not been adequately tested among African populations, so locally generated evidence was essential.
He said the conference would help determine how global scientific advances could be adapted to African environments while addressing affordability and access challenges.
Gralow added that the ASCO-AORTIC partnership focused on workforce development, clinical research and training the next generation of African cancer researchers.
He announced that the second round of the Sub-Saharan Africa Clinical Research Grants Program would open in October.
AORTIC Vice President for North America, Dr. Abiola Ibraheem, called for greater continental collaboration to improve access to innovative cancer therapies.
“The therapies and technologies available in the United States are very different from those available in Nigeria. This initiative aims to close that gap.
“There is power in numbers. The goal is for African countries to access these therapies together as a continent and not individually,” he said.
Ibraheem noted that participation at the Best of ASCO Africa conference had grown significantly since its inaugural edition in Ethiopia, attracting more countries, sponsors and partners committed to advancing cancer care across the continent.
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