Nigeria Targets 30% Cancer Burden Reduction by 2030

The Federal Government of Nigeria has committed to reducing the nation's cancer burden by at least 30% by the year 2030. This commitment was articulated by Dr. Iziak Adekunle Salako, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, during the opening of the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer conference held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja from July 10 to 11, 2026.

The conference aims to bring together oncology experts across Africa to review scientific breakthroughs and present findings from the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting. Dr. Salako emphasized the urgent need for coordinated action across the continent to address the alarming cancer burden, which, according to the 2024 Global Cancer Observatory report, includes 1.18 million new cancer cases and 721,000 cancer-related deaths in Africa.

Nigeria accounts for 10.5% of Africa's cancer burden. The government plans to implement a comprehensive national cancer control plan from 2026 to 2030, focusing on prevention, early detection, treatment, and survivorship.