N73bn meets N544bn Tuberculosis funding gap: Progress or survival?

…As external donors shrink creating a huge funding deficit

The federal government’s recent allocation of N73.4 billion for tuberculosis (TB) drugs and diagnostic expansion offers a momentary band-aid on a very deep wound. While the funds will provide 1,000 new diagnostic kits and bolster medical supplies, public health experts warn that this cushioning barely touches the surface of a massive financing gap.

According to the Global Tuberculosis Report 2020, Nigeria requires about $384 million to tackle new TB cases before 2030.

To effectively end the TB epidemic by 2035—now less than a decade away—Nigeria requires approximately $400 million (N544 billion) according to BusinessDay findings. At a recent symposium held by the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme (NTBLCP) to commemorate World TB Day 2025, the verdict was clear: without a radical shift in funding, Nigeria remains stuck in a cycle of containment rather than eradication.

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“TB remains one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide, with Nigeria ranking among the top 10 high-burden countries globally,” Samuel Hananiya, a public health expert noted.

“For the country to be able to meet targets of drastically reducing the disease burden by 2035, we will need over $400 million,” he added.

Globally, about $2 billion is required for TB research, while over $10 billion is needed annually for treatment and diagnosis, according to a 2022 report by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Nigeria consistently ranks among the top 10 high-burden TB countries globally. For decades, the nation has relied on the generosity of others to stay afloat. Roughly 70 percent of all TB funding in Nigeria comes from external donors like the Global Fund, an international organization that finances tuberculosis, HIV, and malaria programmes and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Domestic contributions, by contrast, languish at less than 10 percent.

This over-reliance on foreign aid has finally reached a breaking point. Following a 2025 shift in U.S. policy, which saw a suspension of various foreign aid programs, the sudden shutdown of USAID initiatives has left a gaping hole in Nigeria’s healthcare strategy in at least 18 states. Community-based initiatives, once central to early case detection have been scaled back or halted entirely, according to WHO.

It is against this backdrop that WHO called on Nigeria to increase domestic funding for TB control.

“While progress has been made, significant gaps remain, especially in reaching underserved populations who are most vulnerable to TB infection and poor treatment outcomes,” said Mya Ngon, team lead for disease prevention and control at WHO, during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, March 17, ahead of the 2026 World TB Day on Tuesday, March 24.

High disease burden

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently warned that abrupt cuts in global health funding could reverse decades of progress, including the 79 million lives saved globally since 2000.

For Nigeria, the risks are even higher as TB kills about 268 Nigerians every day, making it one of the country’s deadliest infectious diseases, according to reports.

Each day, an estimated 1,200 to 1,300 Nigerians develop TB, translating to more than 50 new infections every hour, according to a DailyNews Facts report.

Yet, despite the scale, thousands of cases remain undetected annually, fueling transmission and preventable deaths.

“Nigeria records over 500,000 TB infections annually, yet only about 79 percent of cases are detected and treated. The rest, often referred to as ‘missing cases,’ continue to spread the disease undetected,” said Saleh Gagarawa, media and communications officer at the Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Initiative (LTR).

“One untreated TB patient can infect up to 15 others in a year,” he added.

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Implications of underfunding

As of 2025, only 18 percent of tuberculosis (TB) funding was sourced domestically, while over 73 percent remained unfunded, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The consequences of this underfunding are already evident. The WHO recently reported that health workers hired under donor-funded programmes have withdrawn their services, with more than 1,000 contract workers involved in TB screening reportedly laid off. “All that hard work is in jeopardy if we don’t act quickly,” the WHO warned.

Experts say the funding gap continues to undermine critical interventions. Underfunding slows the scale-up of diagnostics, weakens community case detection, and limits outreach to underserved populations, according to the Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief (LTR) Initiative.

Highlighting the diagnostic challenges, Gagarawa stated that, “When diagnostic tools like GeneXpert machines are unavailable in nearly half of local government areas, delays in diagnosis become inevitable barriers that cost lives.”

Way forward

Experts say that the fight towards ending Tuberculosis in Nigeria is achievable through targeted community engagement, stigma reduction campaigns, increased funding, collaboration among stakeholders and support of persons affected by TB.

“Local efforts alone, no matter how noble, cannot substitute for national will,” Gagarawa noted.

Charles Nzelu, director of public health also highlighted that Tuberculosis can be contained through sustained partnerships, advocacy and increased funding.

Other players emphasized the role of communities and media in disseminating information regarding the transmission of Tuberculosis.

“Communities and the media play a vital role in translating scientific information into messages that people can easily understand. When people understand how TB is transmitted, tested, and treated, stigma reduces, and more people are encouraged to seek care,” Ngon noted.

Government efforts

Nigeria has made notable progress in its tuberculosis (TB) response under the National Strategic Plan (2021–2026), according to Nzelu. Treatment coverage increased from 20 percent in 2018 to about 80 percent in 2025, signaling significant improvement.

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In a bid to sustain and expand these gains, the Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Initiative, through its chairman Nasir Gwarzo, said it plans to increase screening coverage within a 50-mile radius and treatment coverage within a 25-mile radius across the country by 2030.

Recently, Nigeria’s first lady, Oluremi Tinubu donated one billion naira to support the fight against tuberculosis in the country. Additionally, in 2025, Nigeria earmarked $200 million to cushion the effects of U.S. aid cuts.