The Nigerian Cancer Society (NCS) has appealed to the federal government and policymakers to strengthen financing, policies and accountability for cancer prevention and control.
It warned that commitments without measurable action would do little to reduce the country’s cancer burden.
The president/chief executive officer of NCS, Prof Abidemi Emmanuel Omonisi, made the call in a goodwill message at the opening of the 2026 International Cancer Week (ICW), organised by the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) in collaboration with stakeholders.
Omonisi said cancer remained a significant public health challenge in Nigeria, imposing emotional, social and financial burdens on patients, families and communities.
He said the country’s cancer response must focus on prevention, health promotion, early detection, accurate diagnosis, timely treatment, palliative care, survivorship and access to quality cancer services.
According to him, cancer control must also extend beyond major cities and tertiary institutions to underserved and vulnerable communities.
“As stakeholders, we have made important commitments to improving cancer control in Nigeria. The task before us is to translate these commitments into measurable action and sustainable impact,” he said.
Omonisi stressed the need for stronger coordination among government institutions, healthcare professionals, researchers, civil society organisations, development partners, the private sector, communities, cancer survivors and patients.
He said no single institution could address the country’s cancer burden alone, noting that partnerships must move beyond meetings to implementation, while research must respond to real-world needs and policies must be adequately financed.
He also called for greater investment in innovation and research, saying technology, digital health, data systems, artificial intelligence and innovative diagnostic approaches could improve cancer prevention, detection, treatment and follow-up.
However, he cautioned that innovation must be evidence-based and designed around the realities of Nigeria’s health system.
“We need Nigerian evidence to inform Nigerian solutions,” he said, adding that research should move beyond publication to influence policy, practice and measurable outcomes.
Omonisi said cancer control must also begin at the community level, stressing that national efforts would ultimately be measured by whether Nigerians understood their cancer risks, recognised warning signs, sought care early and had access to appropriate services.
He called for stronger community engagement and culturally appropriate health communication, particularly through partnerships with traditional and religious leaders, community organisations, cancer survivors and patient advocates.
The NCS president urged stakeholders to ensure that no Nigerian was excluded from cancer prevention and care because of geography, income, gender, age or social circumstances.
He challenged government and policymakers to strengthen cancer-control policies, financing and accountability and maintain cancer as a priority on Nigeria’s health and development agenda.
He also urged healthcare professionals and institutions to improve prevention, early detection, referral pathways, quality treatment, palliative care and patient-centred services.
Researchers and academics, he said, should generate and translate evidence addressing Nigeria’s cancer-control priorities, while development and private-sector partners should invest in sustainable solutions, technology, infrastructure and programmes capable of reaching underserved populations.
Omonisi further tasked civil society organisations, cancer advocates and the media with providing accurate cancer information, challenging myths and stigma, and keeping prevention and early detection at the centre of public discourse.
He urged communities and individuals to learn cancer risk factors and warning signs, adopt healthier behaviours and seek appropriate screening and medical advice.
The NCS president also emphasised the importance of cancer survivors and patients in shaping cancer policies and services.
“Your voices, experiences and leadership must remain central to the cancer-control agenda. Your lived experiences should help shape the policies and services designed to serve you,” he said.
Omonisi called on stakeholders to make the 2026 International Cancer Week more than a platform for discussions, urging them to make specific commitments that would translate into measurable changes after the event.
“Let ICW 2026 be more than a week of conversations. Let it be a week of commitments that lead to action,” he said.
He urged every institution represented at the event to identify at least one action it could advance beyond the week and define how the action would benefit the most vulnerable Nigerians.
He said the legacy of the 2026 International Cancer Week should be determined by the commitments made and the lives improved through their implementation.
Omonisi said the Nigerian Cancer Society remained committed to working with government and other stakeholders to transform cancer-control commitments into sustained action.
He called for a shift from awareness to action, evidence to policy, innovation to impact and isolated efforts to coordinated national action.
He expressed hope that collective efforts would contribute to a Nigeria where cancer prevention was prioritised, early detection was accessible, quality care was available and cancer survivors received adequate support.
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