…….Enrol First 30 Patients
By Fatima Saka
The Federal Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with leading global health and pharmaceutical partners, has launched a landmark cancer treatment programme valued at over ₦7 billion, marking a major breakthrough in oncology care in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Innovative Cancer Medicine (ICM) Demonstration Study was officially flagged off on Tuesday at the National Hospital, Abuja, with the historic enrolment of the first Nigerian patient to receive advanced immunotherapy treatment in the country.
The initiative is jointly supported by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI), Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), Roche and other research and advocacy partners.
Highlighting the landmark initiative, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, described the development as “a defining moment in Nigeria’s health sector.” He said cancer remains one of the country’s leading causes of death, with thousands dying each year due to late diagnosis and lack of access to modern treatment.
“This milestone symbolises hope,hope that patients in low, and middle-income countries no longer have to wait decades to access the same life-saving innovations available elsewhere,” Salako said. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is committed to advancing cancer care through strong partnerships, technology and increased health investments.”
He revealed that the federal government has begun strengthening oncology infrastructure with six regional cancer centres, three of which are already operational, while also prioritising cancer care in the 2025 national health budget, the highest in Nigeria’s history.
Speaking on the Free Immunotherapy Worth Millions Per Patient, Professor Bello Abubakar, Principal Investigator of the ICM Study, announced that each treatment cycle costs about ₦9.5 million per patient, but the entire programme is fully funded by international partners, making it completely free for participants.
He explained that 30 Nigerian patients diagnosed with metastatic colorectal cancer will receive Nivolumab, a globally approved immunotherapy drug that uses the immune system to fight and possibly cure cancer.
“This is not a clinical trial. The drug has already been proven globally,” Abubakar clarified. “This study is to demonstrate that Nigeria has the capacity, infrastructure and expertise to deliver advanced cancer treatment safely, right here at home.”
He added that all services including diagnostics, laboratory investigations, transport support, follow-up care, and biopsies will be covered by the programme.
Dr. Funke Fasawe, Country Director of CHAI, said the study demonstrates that Nigeria can deliver complex cancer treatment with the right partnerships.
“Our goal is sustainability. Success here means future price negotiations with manufacturers and wider access to immunotherapy across Africa,” she said.
Echoing similar optimism, Dr. Martin J. Murphy, Chairman and Co-Founder of the Society for Translational Oncology, said: “What is happening today in Abuja has never been done before in Africa. This is the dawn of a new era in medical science on the continent.”
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Cancer survivors, civil society groups and oncology experts at the event described the initiative as a lifeline for patients who would otherwise face death due to the high cost of treatment.
The programme will run for 18 months of treatment and 12 months of follow-up, with enrolment still ongoing for eligible patients nationwide.
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