At least 16 states in Nigeria currently have no radiation or clinical oncologist, a development medical experts have described as alarming and dangerous for the country’s already fragile cancer care system.
The revelation was made by the President of the Nigeria Cancer Society, Prof. Abidemi Omonisi, during the inaugural Science of Advanced Prostate Cancer (SoAPCA) Conference held in Lagos.
Omonisi said the absence of specialists in many states has worsened late presentation and poor survival outcomes, warning that the few oncologists available are overstretched.
“As we speak now, there are 16 states in Nigeria with no single radiation or clinical oncologist. And you cannot talk about cancer care without them.
“They are the ones who know the drugs, who direct radiotherapy, who guide treatment. Can you imagine? Sixteen states without one?” he queried.
He cited Gombe and Maiduguri as examples where a single oncologist shuttles between both states, sometimes working from morning till 10 p.m.
“Meanwhile, Lagos alone has almost 50 percent of all oncologists in the country. The imbalance is dangerous,” he said.
The cancer expert lamented that many Nigerians, including political leaders, only discover their conditions at advanced stages. He recalled that a serving governor was diagnosed when his prostate cancer had already spread.
Despite federal government efforts to establish cancer centres and a national cancer fund, Omonisi said support remains grossly inadequate.
“In the 2025 federal budget, only ₦150 million was set aside for cancer treatment across breast, cervical, and prostate cancers. That is shamefully small compared to the burden,” he stated, urging the National Assembly to prioritise cancer in the 2026 budget.
Also speaking, Mayo Clinic Professor of Haematology and Oncology, Prof. Folakemi Odedina, warned that Black men are at the highest risk of prostate cancer globally but remain underrepresented in clinical trials.
“The majority of prostate cancers we see in Nigeria and across Africa are at very late stages. What is even scarier is that simply being a Black man is itself a risk factor.
Add family history and age, and the risks multiply,” she explained, stressing the need for Africa-centered research and clinical trials.
Experts from Cameroon, Kenya, and other African countries also shared similar experiences of late presentation, shortage of facilities, and inadequate research tailored to African populations.
Nigeria’s National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) Director General, Prof. Usman Malami, pledged continued collaboration to improve access to innovative treatments.
Representing the Minister of State for Health, Special Adviser Kehinde Ololade said three new cancer centres had been commissioned in Enugu, Benin, and Katsina, and that the ₦1 million cancer patient support fund would be sustained.
The conference, hosted by the Prostate Cancer Transatlantic Consortium (CaPTC), ended with a call for urgent policy reforms, expanded research, and increased funding to bridge Africa’s cancer care gap.
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