Nigeria is losing an estimated ₦17.9 trillion every year to the impact of viral hepatitis, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, said on Monday.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja to mark the 2025 World Hepatitis Day themed ‘Hepatitis: Let’s break it down,’ Pate revealed that over 20 million Nigerians are currently living with the disease, including 18.2 million with Hepatitis B and 2.5 million with Hepatitis C.

Despite the availability of vaccines and treatment, the minister said more than 90 percent of infected people remain undiagnosed, fueling transmission and increasing the risk of liver cancer and failure.

“Hepatitis symptoms are often misdiagnosed as malaria. Conditions like fever, fatigue and malaise are wrongly self-treated while the virus continues to damage the liver,” Pate said. He noted that 4,252 Nigerians die every year from liver cancer caused by untreated hepatitis.

Describing the situation as a “silent epidemic,” the minister unveiled ‘Project 365,’ a national year-round campaign aimed at scaling up screening, diagnosis and treatment, with the goal of eliminating Hepatitis C and halting Hepatitis B transmission by 2030.

The initiative will be supported by increased budgetary allocations, a Viral Elimination Fund, tax incentives to boost local pharmaceutical production, and regulatory reforms to expand access to testing and treatment across the country.

“Nigeria currently ranks third globally in hepatitis burden. We must act urgently to reverse this trend,” Pate said.

Dr. Adebobola Bashorun, Director of the National AIDS and STIs Control Programme (NASCP), said the campaign will take hepatitis prevention and care to every community in partnership with the National Assembly. He warned that gaps in childhood vaccination since its introduction in 2004 have left many Nigerians under 21 unprotected.

“For adults above 21 who missed the childhood vaccination, the next step is testing. If you test negative for hepatitis B surface antigen, you need to begin a three-dose vaccination,” he said, stressing the importance of routine testing and responsible sexual behaviour.

Bashorun added that while Hepatitis C is curable with modern antiviral medication, Hepatitis B can be effectively managed to prevent chronic liver disease.

The government also announced a nationwide communication drive, including partnerships with transport networks to spread information in motor parks and public transit hubs, aimed at countering misinformation and promoting preventive health practices.

World Hepatitis Day is marked every July 28 to raise awareness and promote prevention, testing and treatment of the disease worldwide.