Abuja: The Federal Government has introduced Project 365, a national initiative aimed at eradicating hepatitis by 2030, citing significant annual economic losses ranging from N10.3 trillion to N17.9 trillion due to the disease. Prof. Muhammad Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, announced the project during the World Hepatitis Day 2025 commemoration in Abuja, under the theme ‘Hepatitis Can’t Wait – Test. Treat. Eliminate.’
According to News Agency of Nigeria, hepatitis is a liver inflammation, predominantly caused by viral infections such as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Other causes include alcohol abuse, toxins, medications, and autoimmune diseases. Untreated viral hepatitis, particularly types B and C, can lead to severe liver conditions, including cirrhosis, liver failure, or cancer.
Representing Prof. Pate, Dr. Godwin Ntadom, Director of Public Health, stated that the campaign will focus on mass screening, treatment, and vaccination across communities. He revealed that 18.2 million Nigerians are infected with hepatitis B, while 2.5 million suffer from hepatitis C. The disease’s silent nature, often confused with malaria, contributes to delayed diagnosis and high mortality rates.
As part of the elimination strategy, the government has established the Viral Elimination Fund (VEL) to enhance access to testing and treatment, improve affordable care, and reduce transmission rates. Initial interventions have commenced in three correctional centres in Gombe State, with support from Abbott and other partners, to improve testing and treatment among underserved populations. Free hepatitis testing at the National Assembly aims to encourage lawmakers and staff to undergo testing and support legislative funding for hepatitis elimination.
Project 365 includes reforms like tax incentives and regulatory support to enhance local pharmaceutical production of hepatitis diagnostics and medications, reducing dependency on imports. The initiative aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 3 and the World Health Organisation’s Global Health Sector Strategy, underscoring Nigeria’s commitment to international health standards.
In a goodwill message delivered by Mr. Adeyeye Ajayi, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Nigeria’s Presidential Ambassador for Viral Hepatitis, urged national unity against the disease. He praised the Federal Ministry of Health, WHO, healthcare workers, and partners for their efforts, advocating for collective action and public education to combat stigma and misinformation.
Dr. Titilola Munkail, National Coordinator of the African Centre for Disease Control (AfricaCDC), represented by Dr. Oluyinka Olayemi, expressed confidence in Nigeria’s leadership in eliminating hepatitis and other public health threats. She reiterated Africa CDC’s support and highlighted Nigeria’s role in setting the pace for other African nations.
Dr. Mya Ngon, WHO Team Lead for Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases, commended Nigeria’s ongoing efforts and reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to collaborative hepatitis elimination through expanded testing, vaccination, and treatment. Ngon acknowledged challenges but praised partners for reducing treatment costs, promoting local drug production, and integrating hepatitis into broader disease control strategies.
Dr. Ibrahim Ehizogie, representing the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), affirmed its dedication to combating viral hepatitis within custodial centres. He noted a screening initiative launched in December 2024 tested 830 inmates at the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre by June 2025. The programme is expanding across six geopolitical zones, with plans to cover all 300 custodial centres nationwide, highlighting the importance of extending the campaign to correctional facilities due to high infection risks.
Dr. Adebola Bashorun, National Coordinator of the National HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, and STIs Control Programme (NASCP), described Project 365 as a community-driven initiative to identify and treat hepatitis B and C patients and scale prevention through vaccination. Supported by the National Assembly, the initiative will run daily for a year, targeting all 360 constituencies with mass screening, treatment, and vaccination efforts.
Bashorun noted the prevalence of viral hepatitis in Nigeria is 8.4 percent, with hepatitis B at 8.1 percent and hepatitis C at 1.21 percent, impacting over 21 million Nigerians. Those diagnosed with hepatitis C will receive curative treatment, while hepatitis B-negative individuals will be vaccinated. He emphasized the campaign’s momentum will continue until the next World Hepatitis Day.
Addressing co-infections, Bashorun highlighted that 1.21 percent of HIV-positive Nigerians also live with hepatitis B, necessitating integrated disease management. On funding, he explained that the World Hepatitis Fund will merge into a broader pool under the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) led by the Health Ministry, facilitating more flexible and scalable responses. The Federal Government reiterated its commitment to working with the Nigerian Correctional Service to expand hepatitis screening and treatment in custodial settings.
NAN notes that the 2025 World Hepatitis Day theme emphasizes the urgency of increasing access to testing and treatment and accelerating global efforts to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030, in line with WHO targets.
