HISTORIC: NIGERIAN PHYSICIAN DR. ZAINAB SHINKAFI-BAGUDU MAKES HISTORY AS FIRST AFRICAN TO LEAD 93-YEAR-OLD UICC
HISTORIC: NIGERIAN PHYSICIAN DR. ZAINAB SHINKAFI-BAGUDU MAKES HISTORY AS FIRST AFRICAN TO LEAD 93-YEAR-OLD UICC
By Bashir Rabe Mani in Sokoto
In a historic breakthrough for African representation in global healthcare, Nigerian physician Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu has emerged as the first African to lead the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) in its 93-year history.
Dr. Shinkafi-Bagudu assumed office as President for the 2026-2028 term on October 20, 2026, following the organisation’s General Assembly, placing a Nigerian at the helm of the world’s largest and oldest international cancer organisation dedicated to advancing cancer prevention, treatment and equitable access to care.
The UICC, founded in 1933 and based in Geneva, Switzerland, unites over 1,100 member organisations in more than 170 countries, and plays a central role in shaping global cancer policy, including the World Cancer Congress and World Cancer Day campaigns.
Dr. Shinkafi-Bagudu is a consultant paediatrician and a renowned global cancer advocate. She is the Founder of the Medicaid Cancer Foundation, a leading non-profit organization working to raise cancer awareness, promote prevention, drive early detection and improve access to cancer care for underserved populations.
Determined to bridge Nigeria’s huge diagnostic gap, she also established Medicaid Radio-Diagnostics & Clinics in Abuja, a state-of-the-art diagnostic facility providing comprehensive cancer screening and radiology services.
A former First Lady of Kebbi State, she leveraged her office to champion major healthcare reforms, particularly in cancer control and women’s health. Her tenure witnessed sustained advocacy for the scale-up of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for girls to prevent cervical cancer, strengthening of primary healthcare and support for indigent cancer patients.
Before her historic elevation, Dr. Shinkafi-Bagudu served on the UICC Board of Directors for six years, where she distinguished herself as a strong voice for low-and-middle-income countries. She was elected President-Elect in 2024, paving the way for her current leadership role.
Her emergence as UICC President marks a significant milestone not only for Nigeria but for the entire African continent. For the first time in nearly a century, Africa will lead the global cancer control agenda, bringing to the forefront the peculiar challenges of cancer care in Africa – late presentation, poor access to diagnostics, high cost of treatment and low awareness.
Stakeholders say her leadership will refocus global attention on the need for sustained advocacy, early detection, equitable access to treatment, and increased investment in cancer control in Africa, where cancer cases are projected to double by 2040.
The achievement underscores Nigeria’s growing influence in global health governance and serves as an inspiration to a new generation of African health professionals committed to reducing the global cancer burden.
