By Dr. Nafisat Makinde
The Federal Government has launched a ₦7 billion Innovative Cancer Medicine (ICM) Demonstration Project, offering advanced immunotherapy treatment free to Nigerian patients who would otherwise pay up to ₦9.5 million per dose. The initiative, unveiled on Tuesday at the National Hospital, Abuja, marks the first time cutting-edge cancer immunotherapy will be administered under a structured feasibility study in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said the project represents a major step toward equitable access to life-saving treatment. “The statistics are sobering, but they fuel our resolve under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to revolutionise cancer prevention, control and overall management in Nigeria,” he said, noting that the 2025 budget carries the highest-ever allocation to cancer care.
Principal Investigator, Professor Bello Abubakar of the National Hospital Abuja, said the study is the first of its kind in Africa and will provide free doses of Nivolumab, an approved immunotherapy drug that harnesses the body’s immune system to fight cancer. “This is not a clinical trial but a demonstration to show that Nigeria has the capacity to safely deliver immunotherapy. Everything from diagnostics to follow-up care is free for all 30 patients enrolled,” he explained.
He added that each treatment cycle, valued at ₦9.5 million, will be fully sponsored by international partners including the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI), Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) and Roche. The programme will run for 18 months, enrolling patients from across the country diagnosed with metastatic colorectal cancer.
CHAI Country Director, Dr. Funke Fasawe, said the project demonstrates Nigeria’s readiness to deliver complex cancer care through global partnerships. “We want to prove that African patients do not have to be left behind in access to medical innovation,” she said, adding that treatment also covers testing, monitoring and supportive therapies.
Chairman of the Society for Translational Oncology, Dr. Martin J. Murphy, described the launch as the dawn of a new era in African medicine, commending Nigeria for embracing science-driven reform in cancer treatment. Officials expressed optimism that the success of the study would lead to the inclusion of immunotherapy in national treatment guidelines and health insurance coverage.
