FG unveils ‘Project 365’ to combat hepatitis epidemic in Nigeria

The Federal Government has launched a national campaign, Project 365, aimed at eliminating viral hepatitis in Nigeria through widespread screening, diagnosis, and treatment, as the country grapples with a disease affecting over 20 million people.

The initiative was announced by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, during a ministerial briefing in Abuja to mark World Hepatitis Day 2025, themed “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down.”

“Today, we confront a significant but often overlooked epidemic—viral hepatitis—which affects 18.2 million Nigerians living with Hepatitis B and another 2.5 million with Hepatitis C,” Prof. Pate stated.

Despite the availability of vaccines and treatment options, he noted that over 90% of those infected remain undiagnosed, contributing to continued transmission, especially from mother to child.

He added that early symptoms—such as fatigue and fever—are often mistaken for malaria, allowing the virus to silently damage the liver and, in many cases, progress to cancer or liver failure.

Official figures show that 4,252 Nigerians die each year from liver cancer linked to untreated hepatitis infections.

In addition to the human cost, the economic impact is staggering. Nigeria loses between ₦13.3 trillion and ₦17.9 trillion annually in direct and indirect costs related to hepatitis, according to the health ministry.

To address the crisis, the government aims to eliminate Hepatitis C and significantly reduce Hepatitis B transmission by 2030. Project 365 will be supported by broader efforts to integrate hepatitis interventions with programs targeting the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis, and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

“We must no longer accept the label of having the third-highest hepatitis burden in the world,” Prof. Pate said. “We have the science.

“We have the strategy. Now, we must act—with urgency, coordination, and purpose.”