Nigeria Unveils Bold 2030 Roadmap to Ending Cervical Cancer

The Federal Government has set its sights on a historic goal: the complete elimination of cervical cancer in Nigeria by the year 2030.

Speaking at the launch of a major screening initiative for the Southeast zone in Owerri, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, outlined an ambitious strategy to meet the World Health Organisation’s global targets.

The plan rests on a “90-70-90” framework, ensuring that 90 percent of young girls are vaccinated, 70 percent of women are screened twice in their lives, and 90 percent of those diagnosed receive the specialized care they need to survive.

Nigeria has already emerged as a continental leader in this fight, becoming the first African nation to execute a massive simultaneous rollout of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Dr. Salako revealed that over 15 million girls have already been vaccinated a figure that triples the protection levels previously seen across the entire African region.

Since late 2023, this life-saving vaccine has been integrated into the nation’s routine immunization schedule, marking a permanent shift in how the country protects its future generations from a preventable tragedy.

The government’s commitment is backed by a new institutional powerhouse, the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), and a specialized National Taskforce established to standardize screening across the country.

The objective is to keep this momentum going by vaccinating eight million girls and screening eight million women every single year. In Imo State, the first phase of this rollout is not just a temporary medical camp but the beginning of a permanent infrastructure for high-performance testing and reliable referral pathways for patients.

Governor Hope Uzodimma and his wife, Chioma Uzodimma, joined the call for action, emphasizing that the success of this roadmap depends on the trust of the community. With a N1 billion donation from First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu to support the taskforce, the financial and political will to end the disease has never been stronger.

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Professor Isaac Adewale, Chairman of the National Taskforce, noted that while the current rollout begins with 60,000 women across six pilot states including Imo, Niger, and Ogun the ultimate goal is to move these services into every local primary healthcare center in the country.

As the National Strategic Cancer Control Plan for 2026–2030 takes flight, health advocates believe that for the first time, an AIDS-free and cervical cancer-free future is truly within Nigeria’s reach.