The Nigerian entertainment industry has lost many notable singers and actors to the deadly disease cancer.
While many of these entertainers made their battles with the disease public, some took it away from the public until their death.
The frequency of the disease has attracted discussions among netizens.
The recent and most shocking among them is the death of Alex Ekubo.
Alexx Ekubo, a prominent Nollywood actor, passed away on May 11, 2026, following complications from kidney cancer.
2. Tom Njemanze
The 75-year-old veteran actor died from prostate cancer on July 18 2025.
Tom Njemanze passed away about three weeks after soliciting financial help for an urgent surgery.
3. Ify Onwuemene
Everyday People’s actress, Ify Onwuemene, died on May 25, 2021 after years of battle with stage 4 endometrial cancer.
Ify, who underwent eight sessions of chemotherapy, also had her womb removed before her demise.
4. Aishat Abimbola
Famous Nollywood actress, Aishat Abimbola, popularly known as Omoge Campus, died in Canada on May 15 2018, after a battle with breast cancer.
5. Actress Doris Chima
The then chairman of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, Lagos State chapter, Emeka Rising, confirmed Doris Chima’s death in August 2021.
The veteran actress who lost one of her breasts to breast cancer, reportedly died from the complications.
6. Actor Karibi Fubara
Nollywood actor, Karibi Fubara, died in December 2021, from kidney tumor/cancer.
He died a year after surviving a surgery to remove about 90 per cent of the kidney tumour in 2020.
7. Singer Majek Fashek
Popular legendary Reggae singer, Majekodunmi Fasheke, professionally known as Majek Fashek died in June 2020 after battling with esophageal cancer.
8. Singer Sonny Okosun
Sonny Okosuns, a 61-year-old legendary Nigerian musician and political activist with international recognition, died from colon cancer on May 24 2008, in Washington.
9. Singer Aduke Gold
Popular Nigerian gospel singer, Aduke Gold, passed away from cervical cancer on August 11, 2024, at the University College Hospital in Ibadan.
10. Sound Sultan
One of the Nigerian most influential music icons, Olanrewaju Fasasi, professionally known as Sound Sultan, died in the United States on July 11, 2021, at the age of 44.
He died after a battle with a rare blood cancer called Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.
