Sixteen states in Nigeria currently have no radiation or clinical oncologists, a development experts warned is worsening late presentation and poor cancer outcomes across the country.
The President of the Nigeria Cancer Society, Prof. Abidemi Omonisi, raised the alarm at the inaugural Science of Advanced Prostate Cancer (SoAPCA) Conference in Lagos.
Leading oncologists, researchers, and policymakers from Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States gathered to advocate for equity in cancer care.
“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?” Omonisi noted that even in states with oncologists, most are overstretched.
“In Gombe, one oncologist sometimes starts clinic in the morning and closes around 10 p.m. because he is also covering Maiduguri. Meanwhile, Lagos alone has almost 50 percent of all oncologists in the country. The imbalance is dangerous,” he warned.
He lamented that most Nigerian men present with prostate cancer at late stages, including elites and political leaders. “A state governor was diagnosed only when his prostate cancer had already advanced,” he revealed.
While acknowledging government efforts to establish oncology centres and a national cancer fund, Omonisi said the support was 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,” Omonisi stressed.
