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Minister Pate unveils oncology centre in Benin, says three more underway
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FG completes 501 health projects in two years across tertiary, primary facilities
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Finance Minister Edun says Nigerians no longer need to travel abroad for cancer treatment
Nigeria’s healthcare system has received a major boost as the Federal Government, under President Bola Tinubu, commissioned a new world-class oncology centre in Benin, Edo State—its third in two years—alongside the execution of 501 health projects nationwide.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this on Thursday during the official inauguration of the Oncology Centre at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), describing it as a strategic shift from empty rhetoric to tangible results in healthcare delivery.
Pate stated that the newly commissioned facility in Benin is the third of its kind under the current administration, with three more advanced cancer centres nearing completion in Zaria, Jos, and Lagos.
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He said the administration’s focus on health infrastructure was deliberate and aimed at saving the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
The Minister explained that a total of 501 health projects have been implemented across 61 federal tertiary hospitals and numerous primary health centres across the country, marking what he described as a transformation never seen in decades. He attributed the rapid progress to President Tinubu’s choice to prioritise health above bureaucracy and prolonged planning.
According to him, the Federal Government also leveraged partnerships with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and procured medical equipment with a 30 percent discount from original manufacturers, ensuring high standards while saving taxpayers billions. He said the project was executed on time and without compromise on quality.
In his remarks, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, declared that Nigerians would no longer need to travel abroad for cancer treatment. Edun said the results being recorded were a direct outcome of Tinubu’s economic reforms, which expanded public investment capacity and redirected funds to life-saving sectors such as health and education.
He emphasised that similar oncology centres are being developed across the six geopolitical zones through joint efforts by federal and subnational governments and the private sector, adding that sustainability and proper management of these centres must now be a national focus.
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The Chief Medical Director of UBTH, Prof Darlington Obaseki, hailed the facility as a game-changer, revealing that over 4,300 cancer patients were treated at the hospital in 2024 alone.
He noted that for a decade, UBTH’s radiation machine was inactive, but the new oncology centre has restored full radiotherapy services and is now serving a wider population beyond Edo State.
Prof Obaseki said more than 259 patients had benefited from the National Cancer Access Programme, with over ₦430 million spent on treatment and diagnostics in recent years. He described the project as a product of visionary leadership, coordinated investment, and effective health policy execution.
The Health Minister, Finance Minister, and UBTH leadership all agreed that the commissioning marks a critical milestone in Nigeria’s health journey, one that signals an end to medical abandonment and a beginning of homegrown solutions to life-threatening diseases.
