The proposed National Cancer Institute, backed by President Bola Tinubu’s approval of about N302.3 billion, will serve as a hub for training and retraining oncology experts across Africa, the Director-General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Prof. Usman Malami Aliyu, has said.
Aliyu, in a statement yesterday by NICRAT’s Head of Media and Public Relations, Hassan Zaggi, said the institute would give oncology specialists access to advanced equipment for research and innovation, alongside support for capacity building across the continent. He said it would also promote evidence-based health policymaking, technology-driven cancer care and collaboration between Nigerian institutions and leading global cancer centres.
He described the presidential approval as a ‘game changer,’ noting that the project would be completed within 36 months and would cover the design, construction, furnishing, equipping, supervision and commissioning of the facility.
He said the approval reflected the Federal Government’s commitment to improving cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and research in the country, adding that it would lay the foundation for a stronger healthcare system capable of responding to the country’s growing cancer burden.
According to him, the approval was significant given longstanding challenges in cancer care, including inadequate diagnostic and treatment infrastructure and limited access to affordable services. He noted that NICRAT, established three years ago, had already raised Nigeria’s profile in global cancer control, and that the new institute would further strengthen the country’s capacity in the sector.
‘This project will no doubt make Nigeria the centre of attraction in terms of sophisticated cancer care and research in Africa and the world at large,’ he said.
Aliyu cited the recent upgrading of cancer centres in Katsina, Benin and Enugu as further evidence of the administration’s commitment to cancer care.
He said the institute would address gaps that had forced many Nigerians to seek specialised treatment abroad. ‘Chief among the benefits is that the project will drastically reduce medical tourism by Nigerians affected by cancer,’ he said, noting that the country loses millions of dollars annually to patients travelling overseas for treatment. He added that the facility could, in turn, position Nigeria as a destination for cancer patients from other African countries, with benefits for the country’s foreign exchange earnings.
He commended the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, for their roles in advancing the project, acknowledging the contributions of the Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom.
Aliyu assured Tinubu that NICRAT would work with relevant ministries, departments and agencies, state governments, development partners, civil society organisations and the private sector to ensure the project delivered its intended impact.
‘The management and staff of NICRAT therefore assure Mr President of their commitment to work hard to ensure that this landmark project delivers on the promise of the Renewed Hope Agenda,’ he said.