The Federal Government has broadened financial support for cancer patients through targeted health funds and insurance initiatives, while investing in local research, drug production, and clinical trials to improve access to affordable care.
Speaking at the Best of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Africa 2026 conference in Abuja, the Director-General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Prof. Usman Malami, said new interventions were introduced to ease the financial burden of treatment.
He explained that the Catastrophic Health Fund under the National Health Insurance Authority subsidises cancer prevention, diagnosis, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, while the National Cancer Health Fund provides direct financial assistance to indigent patients.
“These are initiatives by the government to support the people of Nigeria suffering from this dreadful disease,” Malami noted.
The government also launched the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain, aimed at accelerating local production of cancer medicines and reducing reliance on imports.
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