In an effort to guarantee sustainable healthcare finance, the Federal Government has announced plans to gradually eliminate reliance on donor assistance in the battle against HIV and tuberculosis (TB) by 2030. At the 2026 World TB Day celebration in Abuja, where authorities also unveiled the Multisectoral Accountability Framework for TB (MAF-TB) and a long-acting injectable HIV prevention medication, Lenacapavir, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Ali Pate made this statement. According to him, Nigeria is changing its approach to health financing so that programs for essential illnesses are independent of outside funding.
The Minister clarified that countries must reconsider their finance models due to the decline in global health funding, emphasizing that innovation, integration, and effective resource usage are essential to maintaining development.
Prof. Pate pointed out that as part of this shift, the government intends to increase funding for TB, HIV, and malaria programs by $346 million in the 2026 budget and bolster accountability frameworks to guarantee the best possible use of available funds.
Iziaq Salako, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, had stated that Nigeria is implementing a sector-wide strategy to coordinate efforts and do away with dispersed initiatives in disease control.
He clarified that in order to maintain free critical services at the point of care, TB and HIV services will be integrated under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, and partner support will be in line with national goals.
According to Salako, there has been a notable improvement in the response to tuberculosis, with case detection increasing from roughly 138,000 in 2020 to 440,000 in 2025. He credited increased diagnostic capabilities, such as the nationwide expansion of TrueNat and GeneXpert equipment, for the improvement.
With 93% of HIV-positive individuals aware of their status, 99% of those diagnosed receiving treatment, and 95% of those receiving therapy having achieved viral suppression, he claimed Nigeria is getting close to meeting worldwide standards. Additionally, coverage for mother-to-child transmission prevention has greatly increased in recent years.
Jean-Thomas Nouboussi, a representative of the Global Fund, praised Nigeria's simultaneous introduction of HIV and TB interventions, characterizing it as a sign of dedication to creative and integrated health solutions.
According to Nouboussi, the introduction of the injectable preventative tool puts Nigeria in the early adopter category and presents fresh chances to connect with marginalized communities. He said that the Global Fund hopes to provide the medication to roughly two million individuals by 2028, with Nigeria anticipated to get close to 180,000 doses during that time.
However, Nouboussi warned that maintaining domestic investment would be crucial to maintaining TB control success and that financial shortages could undo recent gains. Abdulkadir Ibrahim, the network's national coordinator, demanded more government financing and broader access to new preventative measures.
