…FG says 10% of Nigerians suffer Hepatitis B, C
…Experts claim hepatitis in Nigeria largely undiagnosed, untreated
Nigeria is among the top ten countries responsible for a large share of hepatitis-related deaths, according to a new report by the World Health Organisation (WHO)
The WHO Global Hepatitis Report 2026 showed that Nigeria, Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Africa and Viet Nam accounted for 69% of hepatitis B-related deaths worldwide in 2024.
In the same year, ten countries, including Nigeria, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, South Africa, the United States of America and Viet Nam, accounted for 58% of global hepatitis C-related deaths.
The report ranked Nigeria as the country with the third largest number of people living with hepatitis B and hepatitis C in the world after China and India, and noted that it has the highest burden in Africa by total infections.
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Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by a variety of infectious and non-infectious agents, leading to a range of health problems, including severe liver damage and cancer, which can be fatal, according to WHO.
While the WHO report did not detail prevalence in Nigeria, data from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare show that over 20 million Nigerians are infected with hepatitis B and C, with 18.2 million affected by hepatitis B and 2.5 million by hepatitis C.
Despite the availability of vaccination and treatment, the Federal Government reported in 2025 that over 90% of those infected are undiagnosed and unknowingly transmit the virus to others, including children.
Commenting on the WHO report, Adaobi Onyechi, a public health expert, said Nigeria’s inclusion among the countries driving the majority of global hepatitis deaths reflects a silent epidemic that had not received policy urgency.
“What this data tells us is that hepatitis in Nigeria is largely undiagnosed and untreated. We are dealing with millions of people living with chronic infection who only present when complications like liver cirrhosis or cancer have already set in,” she said.
Onyechi said the Government’s immediate priority should be scaling up early detection, adding that integrating hepatitis services into primary healthcare would improve prevention and early detection.
She also stressed that the Government must scale up vaccination, describing it as the single intervention that can drastically cut transmission.
Muhammad Salusi, a resident doctor in Abuja, said Nigeria bears a high burden due to gaps in prevention and treatment, noting that several cases are often presented late.
According to him, many Nigerians are still unaware of what hepatitis is all about, but urged Government to strengthen public awareness.
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He also urged the Government to make access to vaccines more equitable, especially among vulnerable groups, to boost prevention.
Globally, the WHO report noted that limited access to prevention and care is driving up cases and deaths. It showed that in 2024, an estimated 1.1 million people died from hepatitis B and 240,000 from hepatitis C. Liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma were the main causes of hepatitis-related deaths, largely due to limited access to care.
The report indicated that 240 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B in 2024, but fewer than 5% were receiving treatment. Only 20% of people with hepatitis C have been treated since 2015, when a new 12-week treatment with a cure rate of about 95% became available.
According to the report, viral hepatitis B and C infections, responsible for 95% of hepatitis-related deaths worldwide, claimed 1.34 million lives in 2024.
At the same time, transmission continues, with more than 4,900 new infections every day, or 1.8 million each year.
The report also showed that 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C infection in 2024, with 0.9 million people newly infected with hepatitis B.
It showed that the WHO African Region accounted for 68% of new hepatitis B infections, yet only 17% of newborns in the region received the hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination.
A large share of hepatitis B-related deaths occurred in the African and Western Pacific regions.
The report noted that global efforts to combat viral hepatitis are delivering measurable progress in reducing infections and deaths, but the disease remains a major global health challenge.
It found that hepatitis B prevalence among children under five decreased to 0.6%, with 85 countries achieving or surpassing the 2030 target of 0.1%. However, the report warned that current rates of progress are insufficient to meet all 2030 elimination targets, underscoring the urgent need to accelerate prevention, testing and treatment efforts worldwide.
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“Around the world, countries are showing that eliminating hepatitis is not a pipedream; it is possible with sustained political commitment, backed by reliable domestic financing,” Tedros Ghebreyesus said.
“This report shows that progress is too slow and uneven. Many people remain undiagnosed and untreated due to stigma, weak health systems and inequitable access to care,” he added.
The WHO Director-General called for urgent scale-up of prevention, diagnosis and treatment if the world is to meet the 2030 targets.
