Breast cancer screening remains low in Nigeria as only six per cent of Nigerian women have ever been screened, and just three per cent have undergone cervical cancer screening.
This is according to the State of Health of the Nation Report 2025 released by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
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The report pointed to persistently low cancer screening rates among women of reproductive age, citing poor awareness, limited access to screening services and financial constraints as the main contributors.
Late presentation, signs, symptoms
Breast and cervical cancer remain among the leading causes of cancer-related death among Nigerian women, yet preventive screening services are still underutilised.
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According to experts, Nigerians only seek help when the disease has already reached an advanced stage. This late diagnosis, they say, is a major reason for the fatalities recorded in the country.
Early signs such as unexplained weight loss, persistent fatigue, lumps, or abnormal bleeding are often ignored, either due to low awareness or fear of high medical costs.
However, health experts emphasise that early detection not only improves survival rates but also reduces treatment costs.
Gaps
According to the report, many women in Nigeria do not seek early screening because they lack information about cancer risks or cannot afford the medical costs.
To address this gap, the government intensified efforts in 2025 to increase nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of young girls.
The awareness campaigns focused on education, community outreach and strengthening preventive services within primary healthcare facilities.
The report also highlighted the nationwide rollout of the HPV vaccine.
“A total of 16.7 million adolescent girls were vaccinated, with coverage sustained above 80 per cent in 2025, demonstrating effective integration of the vaccine into both routine and complementary delivery platforms,” the report said.
According to the report, coverage was highest in Nassarawa, followed by Taraba, Kaduna, and Katsina States, and lowest in Anambra, Delta, Edo, and Bayelsa States.
Breast cancer in Nigeria
In Nigeria, Africa’s largest country by population, the entire burden of cancer treatment rests on patients. Every year, thousands of Nigerians are diagnosed with breast cancer, but several are unable to afford its treatment.
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Breast cancer is a major health challenge among Nigerian women.
In 2022, Nigeria reported an estimated 127,763 new cases of cancer and 79,542 deaths, mostly from breast, prostate and cervical cancer, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The health concern accounts for 22.7 per cent of all newer cancer cases.
According to the African Research Group for Oncology, 80 per cent of breast cancer cases in Nigeria present at an advanced stage and less than 25 per cent have an overall survival.
Also, the agency stressed the need for screening programmes to improve survival rates by identifying patients at earlier stages.
