NNPC Launches Free Cancer Screening Campaign, Targets 3,000 Nigerians
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) through NNPC Foundation, its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm, has said it is set to launch a free cancer screening campaign to address Nigeria’s rising cancer cases.
The campaign tagged, “Cancer Awareness and ZSX Screening,” will provide, not just free cancer screening to indigent Nigerians, but also health education, workshops, and consultations with healthcare professionals, it added.
According to the national oil company, this is aimed at empowering individuals to recognise early symptoms, adopt preventive health measures, and better understand the importance of regular screenings.
The campaign which will be organised in collaboration with local health authorities and expert healthcare providers is targeted at reaching about 3,000 individuals across the six geo-political zones with screening centres in Kaduna, Rivers, Ondo, Benue, Imo, and Gombe.
The initiative will focus on breast, cervical, and prostate cancer, offering critical early detection support for at-risk populations, a statement by the oil firm stated.
Shedding more light on the objectives of the campaign, the Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, Emmanuella Arukwe, said: “The fight against cancer requires a collective effort and a commitment to ensuring accessible healthcare. This campaign is about more than just screening; it’s about saving lives, building awareness, and creating pathways to preventive care for Nigerians who need it most.
“In a country of over 200 million people, too many still lack access to the early detection tools that could make a life-saving difference. NNPC Foundation is dedicated to addressing this critical gap by bringing cancer screenings directly to communities. Early detection is crucial to improving survival rates, and this campaign is a vital step towards that goal.”
Cancer remains one of the most prevalent health challenges in Nigeria, with over 79,000 cancer-related deaths annually, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The most common cancers affecting Nigerian men include prostate and liver cancer, while women are predominantly impacted by breast and cervical cancers.
Shell Blames Lower Oil Prices, Weaker Margins for Slump in Q3 Profits
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
British energy major Shell has announced a sharp drop in net profit for the third quarter, with the oil and gas giant hit by lower oil prices and weaker refining margins.
Profit after taxation fell to $4.3 billion in the three months to September, after a net profit of $7 billion in the same period in 2023, Shell said in a statement.
Ahead of the earnings release, Shell warned that its refining margins would take a hit, as oil prices have fallen on concerns over Chinese demand and the prospect of higher crude production in 2025.
Shell also announced a fresh buyback of shares worth $3.5 billion. Adjusted earnings in the third quarter stood at $6 billion, down slightly from the second quarter.
“Shell delivered another set of strong results,” Chief Executive Wael Sawan said in the statement.
“We continue to deliver more value with less emissions, whilst enhancing the resilience of our balance sheet,” he added.
The results were partly weighed down by what the group called an “accounting mismatch”, as well as various costs related to redundancy and restructuring, Fortune.com said.
At the end of August, Shell announced it was cutting hundreds of jobs from its oil and gas exploration division as part of a cost-cutting programme.
Shell, like rival energy company BP, has backtracked on some climate targets in recent months to the dismay of environmental campaigners, putting more emphasis on oil and gas to boost its profits.
Britain’s BP also reported a drop in its third-quarter profits this week, after it too warned of lower refining margins and weak oil trading.
Meanwhile, US oil producers Exxon Mobil and Chevron posted better-than-expected third-quarter profits at the weekend, outperforming their European rivals, as record US oil production cushioned the blow from a plunge in fuel margins.
