ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Federal Government has unveiled an aggressive new strategy to combat the rising tide of liver cancer by doubling down on prevention efforts targeting hepatitis B and C, viral infections that account for the overwhelming majority of hepatocellular carcinoma cases across the nation.
Health officials announced the expanded initiative during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, outlining a multi-pronged approach that prioritizes vaccination, widespread screening, and early treatment interventions. The move comes as alarming statistics reveal that Nigeria bears one of the heaviest hepatitis burdens globally, with an estimated 20 million people living with chronic hepatitis B infection alone.
Dr. Tunji Alausa, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, described the situation as a “silent epidemic” that has been grossly neglected despite its devastating consequences. “We are losing too many Nigerians to liver cancer that is entirely preventable,” Alausa declared. “Hepatitis B and C are responsible for nearly 80 percent of all liver cancer cases in this country, yet awareness remains dangerously low. This must change, and it must change now.”
The government’s renewed commitment includes a robust vaccination campaign targeting newborns, children, and high-risk adult populations. Hepatitis B vaccination, which has been part of Nigeria’s routine immunization program since 2004, has suffered coverage gaps due to supply chain disruptions and vaccine hesitancy. Under the new framework, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency has been mandated to achieve 90 percent vaccination coverage across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory by 2027.
In parallel, the government is scaling up screening services, with a particular focus on hard-to-reach rural communities where healthcare access remains abysmal. Free hepatitis testing will be integrated into existing HIV and tuberculosis screening platforms, leveraging the country’s experience with donor-funded disease programs. Early detection, health officials emphasize, is critical because hepatitis B and C often progress silently for decades before manifesting as cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Dr. Jide Idris, Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, highlighted the economic argument for aggressive intervention. “Treating advanced liver cancer costs millions of naira per patient—assuming treatment is even available. Preventing hepatitis through vaccination costs less than ten thousand naira per person. The math is unforgiving. We simply cannot afford to be complacent.”
The initiative also addresses the critical gap in treatment access. Currently, only a fraction of Nigerians diagnosed with hepatitis receive antiviral therapy, largely due to high drug costs and limited specialist availability. The government is negotiating with pharmaceutical manufacturers to secure reduced pricing for generic hepatitis drugs and is training thousands of community health workers to administer treatment at primary care levels.
Civil society organizations have welcomed the announcement but caution that funding and political will must be sustained. “We have seen many well-intentioned health policies launched with great fanfare only to fizzle out within months,” said Aisha Mohammed, executive director of the Hepatitis Advocacy Network. “The government must back this rhetoric with real budget allocations and transparent implementation timelines.”
Public health experts are also calling for intensified awareness campaigns to combat stigma and misinformation, which have historically hindered hepatitis screening in Nigerian communities. Many Nigerians mistakenly believe hepatitis is caused by spiritual attacks or that it is a death sentence, discouraging them from seeking testing.
The World Health Organization has set a target of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. With less than five years remaining, Nigeria’s renewed push represents a belated but crucial step toward meeting that goal. If successful, the initiative could save hundreds of thousands of lives and dramatically reduce the country’s liver cancer burden for generations to come.
For now, the government’s message is unequivocal: prevention is possible, treatment is available, and the time to act is now. Whether the political machinery can translate these promises into tangible results will determine the difference between a well-intentioned blueprint and a genuine public health revolution.
