The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has called on Nigerian women to prioritise early detection of breast cancer as the Federal Government expands efforts to improve access to cancer treatment and reduce the financial burden on patients.
The call comes as Nigeria joins the rest of the world in observing Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with data from the Global Cancer Observatory indicating that about 32,278 new breast cancer cases are recorded in the country annually, while approximately 16,332 people die from the disease each year.
Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Nigerian women and is one of the major causes of cancer-related deaths in the country.
The Federal Government has also estimated that Nigeria accounts for about 10.5 per cent of Africa’s cancer burden, placing the country among the continent’s three most affected nations.
Under the leadership of its Director-General, Dr Kelechi Ohiri, the NHIA is strengthening health insurance coverage to provide greater financial protection for Nigerians dealing with expensive illnesses such as cancer.
The authority has expanded its partnership with pharmaceutical company Roche to reduce the cost of selected oncology medicines for eligible insured patients. Under the arrangement, Roche covers 50 per cent of the cost, while NHIA contributes 30 per cent and the patient pays the remaining 20 per cent.
The cost-sharing arrangement significantly reduces the amount patients are required to pay directly for the covered medicines, potentially helping families continue treatment despite the high cost of cancer care.
The NHIA has also introduced additional support for radiotherapy, with coverage ranging from up to N400,000 to full payment for eligible patients, depending on the applicable benefit package.
Other cancer-related services covered under relevant insurance packages include mammography, CT and MRI scans, bone scans and laboratory investigations. Eligible patients may also receive support for aspects of screening, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and follow-up care.
Ohiri said the impact of health insurance should be assessed not only by the number of people enrolled but by how effectively the system protects families when they face serious and costly medical conditions.
More than 23 million Nigerians are currently enrolled in the national health insurance system, providing the NHIA with a wider platform to extend financial protection to patients battling cancer and other high-cost diseases.
The measures are part of the broader health sector reforms of the President Bola Tinubu administration, coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare under Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.
Cancer prevention and treatment have been identified as key priorities under the Federal Government’s Nigeria National Cancer Control Plan 2026–2030. The programme focuses on prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, patient support, survivorship, research and improved cancer data, while also seeking to expand the country’s oncology workforce.
The government is also upgrading six Oncology Centres of Excellence across Nigeria. Centres at the University College Hospital, Ibadan; University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City; University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu; and Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, are already operational, according to the Federal Ministry of Health.
The centres have been equipped with specialised facilities, including brachytherapy machines, to strengthen cancer treatment services.
Other initiatives include the Cancer Access Partnership, which makes 27 anti-cancer medicines available in 48 formulations across 14 federal tertiary hospitals, as well as the Cancer Health Fund, which supports indigent patients living with breast, cervical and prostate cancers.
The NHIA said the various interventions are intended to address cancer care at different stages, from prevention and early diagnosis to treatment and financial support.
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month continues, the authority urged women to seek medical attention when they notice unusual changes in their breasts and take advantage of available screening services.
The NHIA stressed that reducing the impact of breast cancer in Nigeria will require earlier diagnosis, wider access to quality treatment and stronger financial protection for patients and their families.
