Tinubu Approves Six Federal Oncology Centres to Boost Cancer Care Nationwide

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment and upgrade of six federal oncology centres across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones in a major move to strengthen cancer diagnosis, treatment and care while reducing the need for medical tourism abroad.

The approval, disclosed by the President’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Olusegun Dada, forms part of a broader healthcare reform initiative aimed at expanding access to advanced cancer treatment services across the country.

According to Dada, the project, valued at approximately N37.4 billion, is being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in partnership with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA). He noted that the initiative builds on the success of earlier interventions, particularly the NSIA-LUTH Cancer Centre, and is designed to create a nationwide network of modern oncology and nuclear medicine facilities.

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The six centres approved for development and upgrade are located at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City; Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria; Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina (FTHK); University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu; Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH); and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos.

These facilities are being equipped with advanced medical technologies, including linear accelerators, radiotherapy machines and diagnostic tools, to ensure comprehensive cancer care is available closer to patients nationwide.

As of mid-2025, three of the six oncology centres have been completed and commissioned. They include the facilities at the Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, and University of Benin Teaching Hospital Benin City.

The centre in Katsina is equipped with cutting-edge TrueBeam technology, which enables highly precise and efficient radiation therapy for cancer patients, significantly improving treatment outcomes.

Officials say the commissioning of these facilities represents tangible progress in the Tinubu administration’s healthcare agenda, particularly in addressing the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as cancer.

A video shared by Dada also captured scenes from the commissioning ceremonies, showing government officials, healthcare professionals and community leaders celebrating the milestone.

The expansion of oncology infrastructure is expected to reduce the financial and emotional burden on patients who previously had to seek treatment abroad, while also strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to manage cancer cases locally.

The Federal Government reiterated its commitment to improving healthcare delivery and ensuring that life-saving treatments become more accessible and affordable to citizens across all regions.