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Data in Motion: How WCPI Is Redefining Cancer Research in Nigeria

At the Women’s Cancer Prevention Initiative (WCPI), we know that effective cancer prevention doesn’t begin in clinics—it begins with the right information. That’s why we’re not just offering services. We’re gathering evidence, analyzing patterns, and asking the critical questions that shape smarter, more sustainable care for women across Nigeria.

From Field to Insight: Real Research in Real Communities

In 2024, WCPI led a feasibility pilot study on breast cancer screening across several health facilities in Lagos and Abuja. We tested an important question: what happens when we stop asking women to come to care—and start taking care of them?

The answer was clear. When access meets proximity, women show up.

Our research showed that mobile mammography is not only feasible, but it is transformative.

3,776

women enrolled in the study over a few months

2,836

screened through our mobile mammography van

700+/month

monthly screening rates—exceeding our 2,000 target in four months

Key Finding

Barriers are more about cost and accessibility than fear or awareness

This research has already begun shaping the future of our programs—and others.

A Vision Built on Data

Our mobile screening model isn’t just a service—it’s a research-backed strategy designed to scale. What we’ve learned has confirmed that if we want to reach more Nigerian women, especially those in rural or underserved areas, we must stay mobile, community-rooted, and data-driven.

And this is only the beginning.

We are now moving toward the next phase of our research journey:

Geopolitical Zones

Expand our mobile screening program to all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

Data Collection

Scale up data collection to reach 70,000–100,000 women across the country.

Longitudinal Study

Launch a longitudinal study to track sequential mammograms and develop AI models for breast cancer risk.

Academic Partnerships

Partner with U.S. academic institutions to train AI models using localized data.

National Plan

Collaborate with the Nigerian Government to create a national implementation plan.

Why This Matters

Too often, African women are excluded from global cancer studies. WCPI is changing that by building one of Nigeria’s most robust, community-informed breast cancer research platforms—designed by Africans, for Africans. We are generating the data that will, not only improve care today but also, drive the innovation, policy, and prevention strategies of tomorrow.

Because the future of Women health in Nigeria deserves to be built on evidence. And every data point we collect brings us closer to a country where fewer women die from preventable cancers.