Nigeria Loses ₦17.9 Trillion and Over 4,200 Lives Annually to Hepatitis

The Nigerian government has revealed alarming statistics on the devastating impact of hepatitis, announcing that the country loses between ₦13.3 trillion and ₦17.9 trillion every year due to the disease, in both direct and indirect costs. Even more concerning is the death toll, with over 4,200 Nigerians dying annually from liver cancer linked to untreated hepatitis.

This revelation was made public during a press briefing in Abuja as part of activities marking the 2025 World Hepatitis Day. Themed “Hepatitis: Let’s Break it Down,” the event highlighted the urgent need for awareness, prevention, and treatment to curb the spread of the disease in Nigeria.

Speaking on behalf of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate, the Director of Public Health at the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Godwin Ntadom, outlined the extent of the crisis. He stated that Nigeria ranks among the top three countries globally with the highest burden of hepatitis, with more than 20 million Nigerians currently infected.

Dr. Ntadom explained that Hepatitis B and C account for the majority of infections, with approximately 18.2 million Nigerians affected by Hepatitis B and 2.5 million by Hepatitis C. Despite the availability of vaccines and treatment, over 90 percent of those infected remain undiagnosed. This has contributed to continued transmission of the virus, often unknowingly, especially from adults to children.

One of the challenges in diagnosis is the fact that early symptoms of hepatitis are often mistaken for common illnesses such as malaria. Symptoms like fever, fatigue, and general body weakness are frequently self-medicated, while the virus continues to attack the liver silently. In many cases, untreated hepatitis progresses to liver failure or cancer, ultimately leading to death. The government estimates that at least 4,252 Nigerians lose their lives annually to liver cancer caused by undiagnosed or untreated hepatitis infections.

The socioeconomic consequences are staggering. Apart from the heavy toll on human life, Nigeria is reportedly losing trillions of naira every year due to loss of productivity, healthcare costs, and the long-term burden of treating complications such as liver failure and cancer.

In response to this growing crisis, the Federal Government has launched a national initiative named Project 365. This year-long campaign aims to screen, diagnose, and treat people across every federal constituency in Nigeria. The goal is to eliminate Hepatitis C entirely and significantly reduce the transmission of Hepatitis B by the year 2030.

Additional steps announced include the creation of a viral hepatitis elimination fund, increased government budget allocations, tax incentives for stakeholders, and regulatory reforms to support local pharmaceutical production of hepatitis medications and diagnostics. The government is also pursuing legislation to expand public access to testing and treatment across all regions of the country.

During the commemoration, the National Coordinator of the Africa CDC, Dr. Oluyinka Olayemi, reaffirmed the agency’s support for Nigeria’s hepatitis elimination efforts. Represented by Titilola Munkail, a Technical Officer at Africa CDC, Olayemi praised Nigeria’s leadership and commitment to tackling the epidemic. She expressed optimism that Nigeria could serve as a model for other African countries in eradicating hepatitis.

Also speaking at the event, the Presidential Ambassador on Viral Hepatitis Control, General Yakubu Gowon (Retired), commended the government, World Health Organization, and other stakeholders for their ongoing efforts. Represented by Adeyeye Ajayi, Gowon called on all Nigerians to rise above the stigma, misinformation, and lack of access that have hindered the fight against hepatitis. He urged everyone to support the goal of eliminating the disease by 2030 through education, awareness, and community action.

Dr. Adebobola Bashorun, the National Coordinator of the National AIDS and STDs Control Programme, further emphasized the critical role of community involvement in eliminating hepatitis. He highlighted the importance of media campaigns, school education, and grassroots advocacy. According to him, Hepatitis B and C are primarily spread through unprotected sex, contact with infected blood, and sharing of infected body fluids, making public education on safe practices crucial.

Dr. Bashorun advised Nigerians to adopt preventive measures such as abstinence, mutual fidelity in relationships, and consistent condom use. He clarified that while Hepatitis C can be completely cured with the right treatment, Hepatitis B has no known cure yet. However, medications are available to slow down the virus and prevent it from causing long-term damage.

In Kano State, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Yusuf, disclosed during a similar briefing that over 1.2 million residents of the state are currently living with Hepatitis B. He revealed that the state government has released ₦95 million to purchase rapid test kits and Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate, a vital drug for preventing the transmission of Hepatitis B during pregnancy.

Under a special intervention named HepFree Mothers, Healthy Babies, Kano now offers free screening and treatment for pregnant women across seven major hospitals. Additionally, hepatitis vaccines are being administered free of charge to newborns in labour wards as part of efforts to reduce mother-to-child transmission, which is estimated to be responsible for up to 80 percent of new infections.

Dr. Yusuf also mentioned that a ₦135 million funding request was awaiting approval to expand the program further. He emphasized that all blood transfusion centres in both public and private hospitals across the state now screen donated blood for hepatitis as a mandatory safety measure.

He called on development partners, civil society organizations, the media, and the private sector to support the fight against hepatitis through funding, awareness campaigns, and policy advocacy.

According to health experts and government officials alike, eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030 is achievable, but only through sustained collective effort, political will, and adequate funding. As World Hepatitis Day 2025 draws attention to the urgency of the issue, the message from all stakeholders is clear: it’s time to break down the barriers, eliminate hepatitis, and save lives.