Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has expressed deep concern over the increasing number of cancer cases in the country.
Speaking during the commissioning of a state-of-the-art cancer centre at the Federal Teaching Hospital in Katsina on Thursday, the minister revealed that Nigeria records approximately 127,000 new cancer cases every year, resulting in around 80,000 deaths annually.
Prof. Pate noted that non-communicable diseases, including cancer, are now among the most rapidly growing health challenges facing Nigeria. He emphasized that this trend will likely continue unless significant health interventions are made. While addressing stakeholders at the event, he praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to health sector reforms, stating, “This is the best cancer centre in the world. It’s a promise kept by Mr. President. It’s we Nigerians that can fix our own health sector, not any other country.”
During his remarks, the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, Dr. Suleiman Bello, described the new cancer centre as a product of visionary planning and dedication. He stated that the facility was remodeled and equipped through the efforts of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) under the Ministry’s Oncology Initiative.
Dr. Bello traced the journey of the centre’s development to 2019, when three young medical officers were hired and sent for residency training in Radio-Oncology. Today, those officers are certified consultants, with two additional doctors currently training as Senior Registrars.
The hospital has also developed its workforce by training seven therapy radiographers, eight medical physicists (in partnership with the University of Lagos), six oncology pharmacists (trained by the West African College of Pharmacists and further trained by BVGH and Medserve), and 26 oncology nurses at the National Hospital Post-Basic Oncology Training School in Abuja.
According to Dr. Bello, the cancer centre houses a 20-bed Chemotherapy Suite, including VIP suites, and a Pharmacy Compounding Room where pharmacists prepare chemotherapy medications for patients. The facility is also equipped with cutting-edge cancer treatment technology. Among the tools installed are the True Beam advanced linear accelerator, capable of delivering radiation from multiple angles while sparing healthy tissue, and the Varian Bravos Brachytherapy Machine designed for targeted treatment of cervical and prostate cancers.
He added that NSIA/Medserve has also provided a 64-slice CT simulator for high-resolution 3D imaging crucial for treatment planning, alongside applicators for both prostate and cervical cancer care. With these additions, he said, Nigerian patients who choose to seek treatment abroad do so out of preference rather than necessity.
“This hospital has continued to access subsidized cancer drugs from the National Cancer Access Program (NCAP), thanks to NICRAT,” Dr. Bello stated. He further thanked President Tinubu, Prof. Pate, and NSIA/Medserve for making the project a reality.
Representing the Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, Secretary to the State Government Hon. Abdullahi Faskari hailed the centre as a milestone achievement. He said the facility offers holistic cancer care—from early diagnosis to advanced treatment and research. Faskari lauded the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms in the healthcare sector, carried out under the Nigerian Healthcare Renewal Investment Initiative—a part of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He affirmed that Katsina State has made healthcare a priority under its “Building Your Future” blueprint, aligning its health goals with national strategies. According to him, the state has made progress in human resource development, infrastructure, and equipment upgrades across all levels of care.
Faskari cited global cancer statistics to underscore the importance of the new facility: “Globally, cancer is the leading cause of mortality, with about 10 million deaths annually. In Africa, the burden is growing due to limited access to diagnosis and treatment. In Nigeria alone, approximately 125,000 new cancer cases are recorded every year, and over 70 percent of these patients present in late stages when treatment is less effective, and outcomes are poor.”
In goodwill messages, the Coordinating Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, and the Coordinating Minister of Economy and Finance, Chief Wale Edun, emphasized the President’s strong focus on healthcare. Idris noted that the financial burden of traveling from Katsina to Lagos for cancer care—covering flight, accommodation, and other logistics—often exceeds the actual treatment costs. This reality, he said, makes the new cancer centre a valuable resource for residents in northern Nigeria and beyond.
What You Should Know
Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, Nigeria’s Health Minister, is at the forefront of the country’s effort to tackle the growing burden of cancer.
Under his leadership, and in alignment with President Tinubu’s healthcare reform agenda, a world-class cancer centre has been commissioned in Katsina.
The centre is equipped with internationally recognized technology and trained professionals, aiming to reduce the need for medical tourism and improve cancer treatment outcomes in Nigeria.
