Nigeria is facing two major but largely preventable public health threats: cervical cancer and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), with researchers warning that poor awareness, late presentation, and poor health practices are driving avoidable deaths and rising treatment failures.
The warning came from scientists at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) during a scientific briefing in Lagos, where findings from recent nationwide and Lagos-based studies were presented.
Oliver Ezechi, director and deputy director-general of NIMR, said cervical cancer continues to claim Nigerian women’s lives daily despite being preventable. “By the end of today, 22 Nigerian women would have died from cervical cancer, while 33 others would have been newly infected,” he said.
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Cervical cancer is caused mainly by persistent infection with high-risk strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), particularly types 16, 18, and 45. Although HPV infection is common and often cleared naturally by the immune system, persistent infection can silently progress to cancer.
Ezechi emphasised that government decisions on vaccination aim for the greatest public health impact. “The vaccine currently used covers four HPV types responsible for 80 percent to 90 percent of cervical cancer cases in Nigeria.
While vaccines exist that protect against more types, the focus is on broader coverage for the population rather than the more expensive options,” he explained.
He stressed that vaccination is most effective for children under 15 who are largely not yet sexually active, and that parents should not delay action waiting for government programmes.
Chika Onwuamah, deputy director at NIMR, noted that self-collected HPV samples are nearly as accurate as clinician-collected ones when high-performance tests are used. “This approach can significantly expand screening, especially in rural and culturally conservative communities where women may be reluctant or unable to access facility-based services,” he said.
Beyond cervical cancer, researchers warned that antimicrobial resistance is emerging as a serious threat to Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Emelda Chukwu, senior research fellow at NIMR, described AMR as a growing global crisis that could reverse decades of progress made since antibiotics were introduced.
Through AMR surveillance conducted in four sentinel healthcare facilities in Lagos state, Chukwu’s team found high levels of resistance to third generation cephalosporins antibiotics, typically reserved for severe infections after first and second-line drugs fail. “These are reserve antibiotics, so seeing resistance at this level is very concerning,” she said.
The findings prompted recommendations for hospitals to develop facility-specific antibiograms to guide empirical prescribing.
She also added that misuse and overuse of antibiotics by both healthcare workers and the public remain major drivers of resistance, noting that resistant infections can spread within communities regardless of individual behaviour.
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NIMR researchers also monitored wastewater canals across Lagos to detect epidemic-prone pathogens, including COVID-19 and Vibrio cholerae O1, the strain responsible for cholera outbreaks. Nine local government areas showed evidence of cholera bacteria in wastewater, prompting NIMR to issue an early warning that was later validated by the 2024 outbreak.
The scientists stressed that tackling cervical cancer and antimicrobial resistance requires coordinated action, including vaccination, routine screening, antimicrobial stewardship, improved sanitation, and sustained public education.
Ezechi emphasised the role of parents: “Mothers are willing to do everything to save their children. Vaccinating your daughter against HPV is a gift that can prevent a lifetime of suffering from cervical cancer. The cost of screening or vaccination is minimal compared to the health it protects.”
Both Ezechi and Chukwu confirmed that NIMR’s research findings are integrated into national policy. “We are part of technical working groups that inform the Federal Ministry of Health on cervical cancer and AMR. The data we provide helps guide evidence-based interventions and policies,” Chukwu said.
The message from NIMR is clear: HPV is preventable, cervical cancer is manageable with vaccination and early screening, and antimicrobial resistance can be mitigated through careful prescribing, monitoring, and public awareness.
“The science is clear. What we need now is consistent implementation to protect Nigerians from preventable deaths and drug-resistant infections,” Ezechi said.
