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The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, has directed key federal research institutions to support a groundbreaking study into a potential plant-based cure for brain cancer.
As reported by NTA on Saturday, the directive mandates key institutions, namely the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, and the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, to prioritise and allocate resources towards the project.
The move follows the discovery of a molecule extracted from a plant in North-Western Nigeria that has shown the ability to eliminate brain cancer cell lines within 48 hours at specific dosages, particularly targeting glioblastoma multiforme, one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer.
Dr Salako pledged government support for the initiative and announced the establishment of a committee to accelerate development in the pharmaceutical sector.
“We are committed to providing the necessary resources and policy support to ensure that this research reaches its full potential, from laboratory studies to clinical trials,” he said.
The research institutions have also expressed their commitment to collaborate on training, development, and clinical studies, noting that the discovery could represent a major milestone in Nigeria’s biomedical research landscape and pave the way for a locally derived treatment for brain cancer.
Medical experts, on July 25, 2025, said Nigeria is facing a growing cancer crisis, warning that reported cases are expected to rise as access to diagnostic tools and improved surveillance systems continue to reveal the country’s true cancer burden.
They said the expected surge in cancer cases will not only be due to better detection, but also rising exposure to risk factors such as unhealthy diets, tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and late presentation at health facilities, among others.
