Bagudu made the disclosure during a 5.4-kilometre cancer awareness walk in Abuja organised under the theme, “One Walk, One Fight – Walk Away Cancer.” The event brought together cancer survivors, health advocates, government officials and other stakeholders to raise awareness about the disease.
According to the minister, approximately ₦350 billion was invested in establishing cancer centres across the country, while more than ₦300 billion was committed to procuring cancer detection equipment.
He explained that additional funds had also been made available to state and local governments to strengthen cancer prevention, early diagnosis and treatment.
Bagudu, however, urged Nigerians to hold state and local governments accountable for the proper utilisation of funds allocated to cancer control.
He described cancer control as one of the priority areas of President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda in the health sector.
Also speaking at the event, Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, encouraged Nigerians, particularly women and young girls, to take advantage of available cancer screening services.
She emphasised that early detection significantly improves the chances of successfully managing cancer before it advances.
Similarly, Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmed, called for collective support for cancer patients and survivors, stressing that the disease does not discriminate based on age or social status.
President of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, commended ongoing awareness campaigns but called for increased government funding to strengthen cancer prevention and treatment across Nigeria.
She noted that the organisation and its partners had sustained cancer awareness and advocacy efforts for more than 12 years.
Meanwhile, President of the Cancer Society of Nigeria, Professor Abidemi Omonisi, called on government, civil society organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to support cancer patients, particularly those struggling with the high cost of treatment.
A cancer survivor, Farooq Oreagba, who said he had lived with an incurable cancer diagnosis for more than 12 years, attributed his survival to early screening and detection.
He urged Nigerians to undergo regular medical checks, emphasising that a cancer diagnosis should not automatically be regarded as a death sentence.
The disclosure of over ₦1 trillion in government spending has also brought attention to the need for transparency, effective implementation and measurable results in Nigeria's cancer control programme, particularly in ensuring that the investments translate into accessible screening facilities, modern treatment equipment and affordable care for patients.
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