WHO urges Nigeria to fund and fight tuberculosis

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday called for increased domestic funding and stronger community engagement to sustain progress in the fight against tuberculosis (TB) in Nigeria.

Chair of the Cluster for Disease Prevention and Control, WHO Nigeria, Dr. Maya Ngon, made the call at a press conference in Abuja ahead of World TB Day 2026.

Ngon said although progress has been made, significant gaps remain, especially in reaching underserved population groups, who are most vulnerable to TB infection and poor treatment outcomes.

He said: “Yes, we can end TB: led by the Federal Ministry of Health and supported by communities,”

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he said, ending TB can be achieved through sustainable investment, accountability and collective action.

“We must stand together with the millions of people affected by TB and remember those who have lost their lives. Ending TB can be done with strong leadership and active community involvement,” he added.

Ngon called for stronger financial risk protection measures and domestic resource mobilization, and stressed that Nigeria cannot rely solely on external funding as support from the Global Fund may decline in the future.

“Nigeria has prepared proposals for the next round of funding while strengthening internal funding mechanisms to ensure a sustainable TB program,” the WHO official said.

He reiterated WHO’s commitment to providing technical guidance, policy development and global best practices to support Nigeria’s TB response and improve patient outcomes.