Millions may be carrying the virus without knowing it, raising fresh concerns over late diagnosis, preventable transmission and the growing burden of liver cancer.
For millions of Nigerians, Hepatitis B may be a health threat they cannot see, feel or immediately recognise.
An estimated 18.2 million Nigerians are living with chronic Hepatitis B, yet a large proportion may be unaware that they are infected, according to the Managing Director of Cerba Lancet Nigeria, Dr Olayemi Dawodu.
The figure exposes a largely silent public health challenge: a virus that can remain undetected for years while gradually damaging the liver and, in severe cases, progressing to cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Dawodu, an anatomic and molecular pathologist, disclosed the estimate during a free Hepatitis B screening and health education programme organised by Cerba Lancet Nigeria in partnership with Mushin Local Government Area to mark World Hepatitis Day.
The numbers behind the silent crisis
Nigeria’s Hepatitis B prevalence is estimated at between eight and nine per cent, Dawodu said, citing figures from the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Africa.
She also said about 325,000 new Hepatitis infections, predominantly Hepatitis B, were estimated in Nigeria in 2022.
Behind those figures are millions of people who may be moving through workplaces, schools, markets and communities without knowing their infection status.
That lack of awareness is one of the biggest challenges in containing the disease, he stated.
“Know your status. Get your hepatitis B status, do the test and know whether you are positive or negative. If you are positive, there is management,” Dawodu said.
247 residents turn up for screening
The scale of interest became evident in Mushin, where 247 residents participated in the screening exercise, surpassing the organisers’ original target of 200 people.
For Cerba Lancet Nigeria, the turnout was more than a numerical achievement. It was an indication of the demand for preventive healthcare services at the community level.
Dawodu said residents who tested positive would be referred to secondary healthcare facilities for further evaluation and management.
She called for sustained community-based screening, vaccination and health education, particularly in local languages, to ensure that people understand how the virus spreads and how they can protect themselves.
How hepatitis B spreads
Hepatitis B is not simply a disease associated with one route of transmission.
Dawodu explained that the virus can spread through infected blood and other body fluids, sexual contact, contaminated needles and sharp objects, as well as from an infected mother to her child.
This makes prevention dependent not only on individual awareness but also on stronger infection-control practices, testing and vaccination.
For people who are infected, the greatest danger may be the absence of obvious symptoms.
A person can feel healthy while carrying the virus, allowing transmission to others and delaying the point at which medical care begins.
From an invisible infection to liver cancer
The consequences of untreated chronic hepatitis B can extend far beyond the initial infection.
Dawodu warned that the disease can progress to serious liver complications, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, one of the major forms of liver cancer.
This is where the hepatitis B challenge becomes more than a question of infection numbers.
Every undiagnosed case represents a potential opportunity lost for early intervention.
Early detection can help identify people who need monitoring or treatment while providing an opportunity to counsel infected persons on how to reduce transmission.
Why community screening matters
Cerba Lancet Nigeria’s Head of Business Development, Temitope Ambrose, said Mushin was selected partly because it was where the company began its operations.
The organisation initially planned to screen 200 people, but 247 residents eventually participated.
The additional turnout, Ambrose said, demonstrated the appetite for accessible preventive healthcare within communities.
The exercise went beyond hepatitis B screening. Residents also received medical consultations, blood pressure and weight checks, random blood sugar testing, referrals, as well as food, drugs and other support materials.
Mushin seeks stronger primary healthcare
Vice Chairman of Mushin Local Government Area, Semiu Ishola Karaole, commended the initiative and said the council remained committed to improving healthcare delivery.
According to him, the council has seven Primary Health Care Centres and four functional ambulances.
But the Hepatitis B experience highlights a broader question for Nigeria’s healthcare system: whether primary healthcare facilities can become the first line of defence against diseases that often remain hidden until complications emerge.
For Hepatitis B, experts say the answer lies in taking testing and prevention closer to the people.
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With an estimated 18.2 million Nigerians living with chronic Hepatitis B, the country’s challenge is no longer simply about treating people who present at hospitals.
It is about finding those who do not yet know they are infected.
That means expanding access to affordable testing, strengthening vaccination, improving health education and ensuring that people who test positive can move quickly from diagnosis to appropriate care.
The 247 residents who turned up in Mushin offer a glimpse of what community-level intervention can achieve.
But if millions remain untested, Nigeria’s hepatitis B burden could continue to grow quietly, with the first visible sign for some patients coming not from a routine screening, but from serious liver disease that could have been prevented or managed much earlier.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.