By Admin
Nigeria is stepping up efforts to eliminate neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), with 23 states now providing dedicated budget lines for the diseases, up from 19 in 2025, as the country seeks to unlock an additional $7 million in international funding through improved domestic financing in 2027.
The development comes amid growing pressure on federal and state governments to translate political commitments into actual budgetary allocations and timely releases to accelerate the fight against diseases that continue to cause disability, disfigurement and deaths, particularly in underserved communities.
At the High-Level Meeting on NTDs held in Abuja in late October, Kano State committed an additional N100 million towards tackling snakebite envenoming, while Kaduna State indicated plans to increase its 2027 budgetary commitment to NTDs by 50 per cent.
The commitments signal growing state-level recognition of the need to take greater financial responsibility for controlling and eliminating the diseases, which account for a significant proportion of Nigeria's disease burden.
Nigeria accounts for about 25 per cent of Africa's total NTD burden, making it one of the countries most affected by the 21 diseases classified under the neglected tropical diseases group by the World Health Organisation.
The meeting, convened by Uniting to Combat NTDs in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and The Global Fund, brought together Commissioners of Health, lawmakers, programme managers and development partners to mobilise political and financial support ahead of the 2027 budget cycle.
A major concern raised at the meeting was the poor release of approved funds, which continues to undermine implementation of NTD control and elimination programmes.
Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Health, Hon. Amos Magaji, acknowledged the funding challenge, pledging to push for stronger prioritisation of NTD interventions in the health budget from 2027.
He said: “For some time now, budget releases have been very poor. But efforts have been made not only to have budgets released for NTDs but to ensure that diseases like these are prioritised in health budgets.”
Magaji also committed to securing a significant portion of basic healthcare provision funds for NTD interventions going forward.
Beyond increased domestic allocations, Nigeria is looking to leverage international financing opportunities, with timely releases of state-level counterpart funds potentially unlocking an additional $7 million from the Reaching the Last Mile Fund for 2027.
The funding opportunity is expected to expand the reach of interventions and strengthen the country's efforts towards meeting the WHO's 2030 NTD elimination targets.
National Coordinator for NTDs at the Federal Ministry of Health, Adebayo Peters, said Nigeria had recorded considerable progress in reducing the number of people affected by the diseases, attributing the gains to government commitment and support from implementing partners.
“We have been able to drastically reduce the number of people affected by these diseases. The efforts to eliminate NTDs are successful because of the contributions we are getting both from the government and our implementing partners,” he said.
According to the Expanded Special Project for the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases, ESPEN, Nigeria has freed 89.7 million people from the need for treatment for lymphatic filariasis, one of the country's major NTDs.
The country also mobilised about N200 million in its 2025 national health budget to tackle snakebite envenoming, a neglected public health emergency that continues to threaten lives, particularly among rural and farming communities.
Head of Resource Mobilisation at Uniting to Combat NTDs, Gerald Ogoko, said the increase in states with dedicated NTD budget lines reflected growing momentum in domestic financing.
He disclosed that 19 states established dedicated budget lines totalling more than $1 million in 2025, compared with 23 states reporting such allocations in 2026.
Ogoko urged state governments and legislators to sustain the momentum by expanding the number of participating states and ensuring NTD interventions receive priority in the 2027 budget process.
The meeting also highlighted the importance of aligning federal and state spending priorities under a common financing and monitoring framework to ensure that approved funds translate into actual interventions.
With Nigeria carrying a quarter of Africa's NTD burden, stakeholders say sustained domestic financing, timely budget releases and stronger accountability will be critical to ending the cycle of neglect surrounding the diseases.
For millions of people in vulnerable communities, the challenge is no longer simply getting governments to make funding promises, but ensuring that the money is released and reaches those who need treatment and preventive services.
Editorial note: I have retained the figures and commitments in the supplied material. The distinction between 23 states having dedicated budget lines and actual release of the funds is important. Also, the $7 million should be presented as potential funding conditional on timely domestic fund releases, not as money already secured.
