World Ovarian Cancer Coalition and NICRAT launch project to boost awareness, early detection, and access to lifesaving ovarian cancer care
TORONTO and ABUJA, Nigeria- October 14, 2025 – The World Ovarian Cancer Coalition (the Coalition) and the National Institute for Cancer
Research and Treatment in Nigeria (NICRAT), today announced at the opening ceremony of International Cancer Week, the launch of a groundbreaking initiative, “Enhancing Prevention, Early Diagnosis, and Treatment of Ovarian Cancer: A Pilot Initiative in Nigeria.”
Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic cancer worldwide, often diagnosed at an advanced stage due to low awareness and limited access to specialised care. 70% of those diagnosed with ovarian cancer live in low- and middle-income countries. In Nigeria, awareness of ovarian cancer is significantly lower than the global average, with 38.8% of Nigerian women having never heard of the disease, as revealed in the soon-to-be published The Every Woman Study™: Low- and Middle-Income Edition (EWS-LMIC Edition), a joint initiative of the Coalition and the International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS).
“This pilot marks an important milestone in Nigeria’s commitment to addressing women’s cancers. Over the past two years, NICRAT has remained consistent in its efforts to fight all forms of cancers in Nigeria. We have trained over 2000 healthcare workers at all levels of care in various specialties of cancer care to enable us to achieve our target of halting all forms of cancers within the shortest possible time. We are grateful to all of our many collaborators and partners, including the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, Project PINK BLUE, the Medicaid Foundation and Dr. Aisha Mustapha for their immense support,” said Professor Usman Malami Aliyu, director general of NICRAT. “The insights gained from this pilot will guide national strategies to reduce the burden of ovarian cancer and improve outcomes for women across our country.”
The findings from the EWS-LMIC Edition provide critical insights about the realities of ovarian cancer in Nigeria: low awareness of the disease, risk
factors and symptoms among women; significant diagnostic delays; virtually no access to genetic testing; and fragmented care. This 12-month Pilot was designed to tackle the specific challenges identified in the EWS-LMIC Edition, and will be rolled out across six states in the country. The findings underscore the urgent need for increased awareness, improved diagnostic infrastructure, expanded access to genetic testing, and better healthcare pathways to facilitate early detection and treatment.
“This pilot project in Nigeria is not only a vital step forward for women in the country but also holds tremendous global potential,” said Clara MacKay, CEO of the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition. “Our Every Woman Study – Low- and Middle-Income Edition clearly shows that women in these countries are disproportionately underserved when it comes to ovarian cancer. By strengthening prevention, early diagnosis, and care, this initiative can serve as a template for future projects worldwide, helping to transform outcomes for women everywhere.”
The Project outlines the following objectives:
● Increase ovarian cancer awareness by 10% among women above 40
years of age and healthcare workers
● Equip 60 frontline healthcare workers with standardized skills for
ovarian cancer detection and referral
● Reduce average diagnosis time from 6 months to 4 weeks for 80% of
suspected cases
● Increase access to molecular and genetic diagnostic tests by 10%
Dr. Aisha Mustapha, Nigerian clinical lead for the EWS-LMIC Edition, notes, “Through innovation, community engagement, and capacity building, we aim to give every woman in Nigeria the chance to be heard, diagnosed early, and treated with dignity. The time to act is now so that every whisper of ovarian cancer becomes a call to action, not a sentence of silence.”
In August 2025, the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition and NICRAT formalised their collaboration by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), marking the start of a strategic partnership designed to address the urgent challenges to ovarian cancer care in Nigeria. Organised by NICRAT, this week is International Cancer Week 2025 in Nigeria, a landmark event bringing together experts, policymakers, researchers, clinicians, survivors and advocates to redefine the future of cancer care. You can find out more information here.
World Ovarian Cancer Coalition
The World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, the only global not-for-profit organization focused solely on ovarian cancer, was established in 2016 and comprises over 230 patient advocacy group members in 69 countries. We work globally to ensure that everyone living with, or at risk of, ovarian cancer has the best chance of survival and the best quality of life, no matter where they live through partnerships, evidence, advocacy and awareness. To learn more, visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube .
NICRAT
The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) was established by the Federal Government to provide National leadership in Cancer Research, Treatment and Control in Nigeria. The NICRAT Establishment Act 2017 also empowers the Institute to guide scientific improvement to cancer prevention, treatment and care; and to among others, coordinate and liaise with the wide range of groups and health care providers with interest in cancer.
Media contacts:
Annabel Deegan
Annabel@worldovariancancercoalition.org
Helen Shik
Helen@worldovariancancercoalition.org