The Federal Government has directed major health research institutions in the country to throw their weight behind ongoing studies into a potential local treatment for brain cancer.
Institutions affected by the directive include the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), and the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT).
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Adekunle Salako, gave the order during a virtual meeting with the heads of the institutes and the Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training (CAMRET) of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.
He said the move followed reports of a promising compound believed to be effective against various cancer types, especially glioblastoma multiforme—one of the most aggressive brain cancers known to medicine.
According to him, the discovery could be a “game-changer” for Nigeria’s health system and aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s health sector transformation agenda.
Dr. Salako stressed the need to strengthen Nigeria’s phytomedicine sector as part of efforts to unlock the country’s healthcare value chain. He also disclosed that a ministerial committee has been set up to coordinate partnerships among researchers, investors, and industry stakeholders to accelerate pharmaceutical innovation.
“The phytomedicine sector must be prioritised. A committee has already been established to bring together investors, research institutions, and stakeholders to accelerate development in the pharmaceutical sector,” the Minister said.
He urged the CAMRET team to submit a detailed proposal to the Ministry outlining its needs and assured the federal government’s full support for further research.
Presenting the research progress, CAMRET’s team lead, Dr. Amina Jega, said the active compound was extracted from a plant found in northwestern Nigeria. Laboratory results, she added, showed the extract destroyed brain cancer cell lines within 48 hours at a certain dosage.
She also revealed that the compound is being tested against other cancers—breast, liver, colon, cervical, leukemia, and lung—with encouraging early results.
Dr. Jega explained that glioblastoma remains one of the deadliest brain cancers, as most patients survive only about 15 months due to poor drug response, hence the urgency for continued research.
In his remarks, the Director-General of NICRAT, Prof. Usman Aliyu, commended the Minister’s swift action and assured that the institute would fully support the researchers.
“As soon as the Minister received word of the discovery, he asked us to make contact with the researchers. NICRAT is committed to supporting this initiative in every possible way,” he said.
NIPRD’s Director-General, Dr. Obi Adigwe, confirmed that the Minister had approved the inclusion of a CAMRET representative in a federal delegation set to attend a biomedical training in China in early 2026.
He added that Stanford University would also host a boot camp on translational research in Nigeria in February 2026, where a CAMRET researcher would participate.
Similarly, NIMR’s Director-General, Prof. John Obafunwa, expressed readiness to collaborate with CAMRET on clinical trials and further analysis.
“If this research can extend brain cancer survival rates beyond the current 12 to 15 months, it will mark a major advancement,” Prof. Obafunwa said.