Background: Breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths presently, representing about 23% of all cancer cases and approximately 18% percent of deaths in Nigeria. It is estimated that 26,310 new cases occurred in 2018. Clinical breast examination (CBE) is a physical examination that is carried out by a health care provider in an attempt at early detection of breast abnormality and diseases. Healthcare practitioners also use mammogram to assess early signs of breast cancer.

Aim: To assess the practice of CBE, awareness and use of mammography as a breast cancer screening method amongst female students in a tertiary institution in South-South, Nigeria.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study done amongst female students of the Federal University Otuoke from January to March 2018. Simple random sampling technique by simple balloting was used in the selection of the respondents until sample size was achieved. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and were analyzed using SPSS version 23.

Results: Majority, 215 (54.6%) has never had CBE; Few, 78 (19.8%) of the respondents had CBE in the last three months; 35 (8.9%) in the last 1 year; 66 (16.8%) had it in the last 2 years. A total of 179 (45.4%) of respondents have had CBE at one time in the last two years. Majority, 287 (73.8%) haven’t heard of mammography; 102 (26.2%) have heard of it; majority, 132 (78.6%) have never done it; while 18 (10.7%) did it in the last three months; 6 (3.6%) did it in the last one year; 12 (7.1%) did itin the last two years. A total of 36 (21.4%) did it in last two years.

Conclusion: There was low level of practice of CBE; very low awareness and use of breast mammography as a breast cancer screening method. There is need for more advocacy and education of the general population as regards breast cancer screening methods.