The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) is excited to announce the Oncology Initiative – a strategic pathway to enhance oncology care in Nigeria. This initiative, focused on improving access to high quality oncology care for Nigerians, will be managed by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (‘NSIA’ or ‘The Authority’).

With the prevalence of cancer cases and resulting deaths in Nigeria, the FMOH Oncology Initiative, launched in 2021, primarily aims to improve oncology care through strategic medical investments that include: establishment of new oncology and nuclear medicine centres, upgrade of existing facilities and deployment of modern medical infrastructure in the participating tertiary institutions.

With a substantial N37.4 billion allocation from the Federal Government, the FMOH Oncology Initiative signifies a profound commitment to enhance access to oncology care and support services Nationwide. For equitable opportunity to receive oncology care, the FMOH has designated the underlisted teaching hospitals within different geo-political zones to be equipped with modern medical infrastructure to deliver oncology care within Nigeria. University of Benin Teaching Hospital ( UBTH) Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, ( ABUTH)Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina,( FTHK??) University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital ( UNTH)Jos University Teaching Hospital ( JUTH??) and Lagos University Teaching Hospital ( LUTH).

The proposed cutting-edge medical infrastructure to be deployed in these teaching hospitals include linear accelerators, iridium brachytherapy machines, computed tomography (CT) simulators, positron emission tomography (PET) scanners, and cyclotrons.

This comprehensive approach ensures that all participating hospitals have the required equipment for accurate diagnosis and effective management of oncology cases.NSIA has been tasked with the implementation of the FMOH’s oncology Initiative. This follows the success of NSIA’s three demonstration projects – NSIA LUTH Cancer center (NLCC), NSIA – Umuahia Diagnostic Center (NUDC) and NSIA – Kano Diagnostic Center (NKDC), as well as the subsequent roll out of the health care expansion programme to deliver 4 oncology centres, 23 modern medical diagnostic centres and 7 catheterization centres within the six geo-political zones of Nigeria.

The FMOH has engaged NSIA to provide project management and advisory services to enable the seamless implementation of the Oncology Initiative. This is in recognition of the Authority’s expertise in operationalizing world class cancer centres, enhancing capacity of key medical professionals within the oncology space and catalysing positive outcomes in oncology care through meaningful partnerships globally.

The FMOH is ready to Leverage NSIA’s unparalleled expertise to ensure world class project management and corresponding optimal resource utilization. The Authority will assume a pivotal role in overseeing the initiative’s progress, foster strategic partnerships with equipment and service providers, and ensuring the flawless execution of the proposed initiative.This collaborative endeavour between the FMOH and NSIA underscores the government’s steadfast dedication to improve healthcare outcomes for all Nigerians, with a particular emphasis on addressing the critical need for enhanced cancer care services.