The Nigerian Federal Government has acknowledged that the country has yet to fully exploit the potential of nuclear medicine in diagnosing and treating cancer and other diseases. This was highlighted by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, during a workshop held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, organized by the National Nuclear Medicine Technical Working Group to develop national guidelines and policies on nuclear medicine.
Dr. Salako emphasized the growing cancer burden in Nigeria, noting that 60 to 70 percent of Nigerians personally know someone affected by the disease. To address this challenge, the government is implementing comprehensive programs spanning prevention, treatment, and control, including the ongoing construction of six cancer centres of excellence across the six geopolitical zones.
Despite Nigeria’s rich human capital in nuclear medicine and its partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the minister acknowledged that nuclear medicine remains underutilized in the country’s healthcare delivery. He stressed the importance of early cancer detection, including screening for precancerous conditions, as a critical mechanism to reduce cancer mortality.
In February 2025, the Ministry inaugurated a technical working group comprising experts in nuclear medicine to chart a strategic path for deploying nuclear medicine technologies nationwide. The group’s mandate includes developing guidelines and policies to integrate nuclear medicine into Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The Chairman of the Technical Working Group, Dr. Kehinde Ololade, reiterated the committee’s goal to facilitate the adoption of nuclear medicine in clinical practice. Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, underscored the urgency of exploring nuclear medicine as a transformative approach to reduce cancer morbidity and mortality, stating that cancer can no longer be ignored.
Complementing these efforts, the NSIA-LUTH Cancer Centre plans to establish a nuclear medicine facility by 2025, equipped with advanced imaging technologies such as PET and SPECT scans, cyclotron, and radiopharmacy. This initiative, supported by federal funding and public-private partnerships, aims to enhance comprehensive cancer diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring.
The federal government’s commitment to expanding nuclear medicine services marks a significant step toward revolutionizing cancer care in Nigeria, promising improved early detection, treatment outcomes, and overall patient survival rates.