Nigeria now bears the world’s highest burden of sickle cell disease among children, with more than 1.5 million cases recorded in those under 15, according to a new international study.

The findings, published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, place Nigeria ahead of other high-burden countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, the study estimates that nearly nine million children are living with the condition, many of them under the age of five and at high risk of early death without proper care.

Lead author, Davies Adeloye of Teesside University, described the situation as both alarming and urgent, warning that Nigeria now sits at the centre of a growing global health challenge.

Despite the severity of the disease, experts say many of its complications can be prevented through relatively simple and affordable interventions.

These include early newborn screening, routine immunisation, malaria prevention, and access to medications such as Hydroxyurea.

However, access remains a major hurdle. In many parts of Nigeria, diagnosis often comes late — sometimes only after severe complications have already set in — largely due to gaps in primary healthcare services.

The study is calling for a shift in approach, urging authorities to integrate sickle cell care into routine maternal and child health programmes. According to the researchers, doing so could significantly improve survival rates and reduce preventable deaths among children.

They also emphasised the need for stronger data systems and better disease tracking, noting that improved screening at birth alone could dramatically lower the country’s disease burden.

With its position as the global epicentre of sickle cell disease, the report concludes that Nigeria has both the responsibility and the opportunity to lead Africa in building an effective, scalable response to the condition.