Oluwatobi Adu 
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) warns that cervical cancer claims the lives of an average of 22 Nigerian women every day, despite being largely preventable through vaccination and early screening.
Speaking at NIMR’s Monthly Media Chat on Tuesday, Director and Deputy Director-General Oliver Ezechi describe the figures as “unacceptable”, stressing that Nigeria possesses the tools needed to dramatically reduce the burden.
“Every day, at least 22 women die, and another 33 new cases emerge,” he says. “We must ask why this continues.”
NIMR attributes the crisis to low awareness, limited screening and poor uptake of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Research conducted between 2015 and 2019 across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones reveals a 34 per cent HPV infection rate, with 27 per cent involving high-risk strains.
Deputy Director of Research Chika Onwuamah explains that persistent high-risk HPV types, particularly 16 and 18, significantly increase cancer risk, especially when compounded by smoking, alcohol use and delayed diagnosis.
Although Nigeria integrates the HPV vaccine into routine immunisation in 2023 for girls aged 9–14, awareness remains alarmingly low. Only 27 per cent of women surveyed know the vaccine prevents HPV, while just six per cent have received it.
Cultural barriers, limited access to female healthcare providers and fear of diagnosis drive late presentation, with most cases detected at advanced stages.
Onwuamah calls for innovative solutions such as self-sample HPV testing, warning: “The tragedy is not ignorance. It is inaction.”
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Otamere Gladness 
Chukwu Obinna 
Oluwafunbi Bello