The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) has organised a 5-day training for cancer research officers.

The training which is christened: Strengthening Institutional Capacity for Cancer Research and Implementation (SINCCAR), was declared open by the NICRAT Director General, @Prof. Usman Malami Aliyu, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Abuja.

According to Prof. Malami, the SINCCAR project is a strategic initiative developed to enhance Nigeria’s ability to conduct first-class cancer research and to also translate the evidence or the result into meaningful public health interventions.

The SINCCAR project, he further explained, is structured in three phases- first, is the assessment of institutional capacity, two; the capacity training phase (which is what we are doing here) and the third will be grant provision phase that will support research implementation.

He noted that: “This stage of the SINCCAR project is devoted to capacity building and training. It is deliberately designed to address the specific gaps and challenges identified across participating institutions.

“Simply put, the main objective of this project is to equip participants with the practical skills and knowledge needed to enhance both individual and institutional competencies in cancer research.

“It will also interest you to know that the major emphasis of this training is on research-to-action, with the aim of nurturing a skilled workforce capable of leading sustainable, impactful cancer research initiatives.”

The training brought together over 120 young research officers from different tertiary health institutions in the North Central zone.

The training will also be replicated in other geopolitical zones of the country in the days ahead.

Participants at the training commended NICRAT for the initiative, expressing optimism that in the near future, Nigeria will come up with cancer research findings that are home-based which can be used to take well-thought decision in cancer care in the country.