Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC Ltd) through NNPC Foundation, its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm, is set to launch a free cancer screening campaign to address Nigeria’s rising cancer cases.

The campaign tagged “Cancer Awareness and ZSX Screening” according to statement endorsed by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer NNPC Ltd, Olufemi Soneye, would provide, not just free cancer screening to indigent Nigerians, but also health education, workshops,and consultations with healthcare professionals aimed at empowering individuals to recognize early symptoms, adopt preventive health measures, and better understand the importance of regular screenings.

The campaign which will be organised in collaboration with local health authorities and expert healthcare providers, Soneye said targeted at reaching about 3,000 individuals across the six geo-political zones with screening centres in Kaduna, Rivers, Ondo, Benue, Imo, and Gombe

“The initiative will focus on breast, cervical, and prostate cancer, offering critical early detection support for at-risk populations,” the statement read.

Shedding more light on the objectives of the campaign, the Managing Director of
NNPC Foundation, Mrs. Emmanuella Arukwe, said that the fight against cancer required a collective effort and a commitment to ensuring accessible healthcare.

“This campaign is about more than just screening; it’s about saving lives, building awareness, and creating pathways to preventive care for Nigerians 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,” she said.

Cancer remains one of the most formidable health challenges in Nigeria, with over 79,000 cancer-related deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The most common cancers affecting Nigerian men include prostate and liver cancer, while women are predominantly impacted by breast and cervical cancers.

The campaign seeks to counter the trend of late-stage diagnoses, which occur
frequently due to limited access to screening facilities, cultural stigmas, and insufficient awareness.

“This initiative follows the success of a screening drive in February 2024, where over 200 Abuja residents received free breast, cervical, and prostate cancer screenings.

“These free cancer screening campaigns reflect NNPC Ltd.’s broader mission to
promote health equity and enhance the well-being of Nigerians across the country through its foundation,” the statement added.