By Friday Omosola
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm, the NNPC Foundation, is set to launch a free cancer screening campaign to address the rising cases of cancer in Nigeria.
Chief Corporate Communications Officer Olufemi Soneye announced the initiative on Tuesday.
The campaign, titled ‘Cancer Awareness and ZSX Screening,’ will offer free cancer screenings to underserved Nigerians, alongside health education, workshops, and consultations with healthcare professionals.
These resources aim to empower individuals to recognize early symptoms, adopt preventive measures, and understand the importance of regular screenings.
In partnership with local health authorities and healthcare experts, the campaign plans to reach approximately 3,000 individuals across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Screening centres will be established in Kaduna, Rivers, Ondo, Benue, Imo, and Gombe, providing critical early detection support for breast, cervical, and prostate cancers, particularly among high-risk populations.
Highlighting the campaign’s mission, NNPC Foundation Managing Director Emmanuella Arukwe emphasized the need for collective efforts and commitment to accessible healthcare in the fight against cancer.
According to Arukwe, this initiative goes beyond screenings—it’s about saving lives, raising awareness, and creating access to preventive care for those who need it most.
“In a country of over 200 million people, too many still lack access to the early detection tools that could make a life-saving difference. NNPC Foundation is dedicated to addressing this critical gap by bringing cancer screenings directly to communities. Early detection is crucial to improving survival rates, and this campaign is a vital step towards that goal.”
Cancer remains a major health challenge in Nigeria, with over 79,000 lives lost annually to the disease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Among Nigerian men, prostate and liver cancers are the most prevalent, while breast and cervical cancers primarily affect women.
This campaign aims to address the high rate of late-stage diagnoses, which are often a result of limited screening access, cultural stigmas, and inadequate public awareness.
Building on the success of a screening drive in February 2024, where more than 200 Abuja residents received free breast, cervical, and prostate cancer screenings, the initiative underscores NNPC Ltd.’s commitment to health equity. Through its Foundation, NNPC Ltd. seeks to enhance the well-being of Nigerians nationwide by providing accessible healthcare services.
