Nigeria and other countries have been urged to reduce and maintain cervical cancer incidence rates to below four cases per 100,000 women as part of efforts to achieve the 90–70–90 targets by 2030 and place the world on a path to eliminating cervical cancer within the next century.
In a presentation titled “Turning Targets into Tangible Impact: Nigeria’s Cervical Cancer Strategy for 2030,” the Network Head, Anglo-West Africa, Roche Diagnostics, Roberto Taboada, said cervical cancer remains a serious public health challenge, with an estimated 13,700 new cases and more than 7,000 deaths recorded yearly.
Taboada outlined three key pillars and targets that countries must implement from 2026 to achieve the goals, which include full vaccination of 90 per cent of girls with the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine by the age of 15, and screening 70 per cent of women using a high-performance test by the age of 35, and again by 45.
He also called for the treatment of 90 per cent of women with pre-cancerous lesions and effective management of 90 per cent of women with invasive cervical cancer.
Taboada said that for many Nigerian families, cervical cancer is not an abstract statistic, but a diagnosis that often arrives late, disrupts livelihoods and places immense strain on households already navigating with complex health and economic realities.
He explained that cervical cancer, which is caused by persistent infection with the HPV, is one of the most preventable forms of cancer, which qccording to him, is commonly transmitted through skin-to-skin or intimate contact.
Taboada noted that vaccines against HPV are available, while screening, followed by the treatment of pre-cancerous lesions when necessary, remains a highly effective way to prevent the disease.
He stressed that one of the most significant challenges facing Nigeria and many other countries is silence, pointing out that poor awareness, social constraints, and even personal embarrassment are among the reasons many Nigerian women do not present for HPV screening.
Taboada stressed that the Nigerian government has blazed a trail by embracing renewed political commitment, updated national guidelines, and accelerated implementation plans.
He said that, for the first time, Nigeria’s top decision-makers have recognised that when policy, access and delivery vehicles to patients align, health systems can unlock the scientific pathway to disease elimination.
He disclosed that in 2026, Nigeria will officially align its national response with the World Health Organization’s global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer, anchored on the 90–70–90 targets to be achieved by 2030.
Taboada noted that over the past year alone, Nigeria has made significant progress in shaping a coordinated national response, supported by the National Taskforce on Cervical Cancer Elimination, which brings together government agencies, clinical experts and private-sector partners to translate strategy into coordinated action.
According to him, the targets are being operationalised through strong national leadership and sustained multi-sector collaboration.
“The Federal Ministry of Health and national institutions have strengthened governance structures, advanced technical planning and reinforced elimination as a shared public health objective, and private sector organisations are co-creating mechanisms to maintain momentum in vaccination programmes and align screening practices with WHO recommendations. This includes the use of high-performance HPV DNA testing as the primary screening method.
“Formalised guidelines provide a consistent national framework for states and implementing partners, supporting more equitable access and standardised care pathways,” he said.
Taboada noted that Nigeria has also publicly reaffirmed its commitment to the WHO elimination strategy through international health forums, linking national policy decisions to global accountability mechanisms.
He stressed that while cervical cancer affects women at the heart of families and communities, often during their most economically productive years, protecting women’s health extends far beyond individual outcomes.
On primary prevention, Taboada said that in 2023 the Nigerian government began phasing in HPV vaccination as part of routine immunisation, adding that the next critical step in the 90–70–90 continuum is screening.
He said molecular diagnostic platforms are already distributed across the country with available capacity. He said by integrating cervical cancer screening into existing laboratory networks, including those supporting HIV programmes, Nigeria is strengthening efficiency while advancing universal health coverage goals.
According to him, this approach prioritises sustainability, which rather than create parallel systems, it builds on national assets and reinforces domestic health infrastructure.
He said public-private collaboration has played an important role in demonstrating how policy frameworks can be translated into scalable operational models, particularly for rural and underserved communities.
According to him, equally important is the sustained engagement with clinicians and communities. Taboada said government-led awareness initiatives are being strengthened to support informed decision-making and encourage uptake of screening services, ensuring that progress in policy is matched by progress in practice6.
He noted that Nigeria’s sustained action over the last year alone shows what can be achieved when political will, technical evidence and partnership align, adding that the focus now is on maintaining momentum, strengthening delivery and supporting states to implement national guidance effectively.
“Elimination will not happen overnight. But with continued leadership, collaboration and investment, cervical cancer can become a condition that health systems anticipate, prevent and manage decisively,” he added
