Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, has said that an estimated 80,000 Nigerians die yearly from various forms of cancer, highlighting the urgent need for improved prevention, early detection, and treatment infrastructure across the country.

He disclosed this on Wednesday during a national stakeholders’ forum on cancer control held in Abuja, where he stressed the government’s renewed commitment to tackling the growing burden of cancer-related deaths in Nigeria.

According to him, Nigeria records over 120,000 new cancer cases each year, with breast, cervical, prostate, and liver cancers among the most common.

He added that many of the fatalities could be prevented with earlier diagnosis, better access to care, and more awareness at the grassroots level.

He noted that the Federal Government, through the National Cancer Control Plan, has scaled up efforts to improve access to oncology services and has initiated the equipping of tertiary hospitals with modern radiotherapy machines and chemotherapy facilities.

He said, “the statistics are grim, but they are also a call to action. Our goal is to build a robust cancer care network that spans prevention, early detection, timely treatment, and palliative support.”

He also called on private sector partners, civil society, and international development agencies to support the national response, particularly in areas of awareness creation, capacity building for health professionals, and decentralization of treatment centres.

The forum also stressed the need for stronger data collection systems and national screening programs to reduce the late presentation of cases, which currently accounts for a significant percentage of cancer-related deaths in Nigeria.