First Lady Tinubu seeks increased investment to end tuberculosis in Nigeria

August 7, 2025 by Dele Anofi

First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has emphasised the need for sustained efforts and increased domestic investment to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) as a public health threat in Nigeria.

Speaking in Abuja on Thursday during the commissioning of new TB molecular diagnostic machines, the First Lady highlighted the importance of improving access to modern diagnostic tools to accelerate progress in the fight against TB.

“Tuberculosis is curable, but far too many Nigerians are still dying from it—not because the technology to detect it doesn’t exist, but because access to proper diagnostic tools remains limited,” she stated.

Represented by the First Lady of Kwara State, Ambassador Olufolake Abdulrazaq, Senator Tinubu expressed satisfaction that her earlier ₦1 billion pledge through the Renewed Hope Initiative had been fulfilled. 

The funds were used to procure and deploy new diagnostic equipment to underserved communities across the country.

She said the new machines would significantly boost the early detection of TB cases, enabling prompt treatment and helping to disrupt the chain of transmission.

“Ending TB in Nigeria requires more than just machines and medication. We need resources human, financial, technical, and political,” she said, pledging continued advocacy to achieve the goal of eliminating TB in Nigeria by 2030.

She also commended the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, led by Coordinating Minister Prof. Muhammad Pate, for revitalizing the national TB response, saying, “Let us continue to stand shoulder to shoulder in this fight. 

“Together, we will build a Nigeria where no life is lost to tuberculosis, where health is not a privilege but a right, and where our hope is both renewed and fulfilled”.

Pate, in his remarks, commended the First Lady for her commitment, noting that she had fulfilled her promises with a donation of ₦1 billion in 2024 and another ₦1 billion pledged for 2025. 

“Her Excellency has delivered decisively on those promises to see that Nigeria ends TB by 2030,” he affirmed.

He described Sen. Tinubu as a national, regional, and global TB champion, commending her for strengthening the health sector and expanding diagnostic capacity. 

“We are working hard on the direction of the President to ensure that drugs, other tests, the human resources are available and integrating TB care into the primary healthcare system so that our compatriots will not suffer needlessly from a disease that is indeed curable,” he explained.

The Minister highlighted ongoing reforms in the health sector, including infrastructure renewal and increased access to care, noting, “We are seeing rapid transformation alongside all the state governors, our local government chairmen, the private sector and our development partners. 

“We are seeing steady progress in expanding primary healthcare”.

The Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr. Mariya Mahmood, described the commissioning as a testament to the First Lady’s unwavering support for public health, noting that the machines would improve early detection and management of TB across the FCT and beyond.

Mahmood commended the Renewed Hope Initiative and aligned its vision with the Federal Government’s broader goals of strengthening health systems. 

Calling on healthcare professionals to ensure proper use and maintenance of the new diagnostic tools to maximize their impact, the FCT Minister said, “This initiative underscores the importance of strategic partnerships in advancing healthcare delivery. 

“We look forward to continued collaboration with the First Lady’s office to promote public health and uphold human dignity”.

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Dr. Queen Ogbuji-Ladipo, the Acting Board Chair of Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, emphasized that the diagnostic machines represent a game-changing intervention in TB detection and management. 

“The machines aid fast and accurate diagnosis, detect drug resistance quickly, and reduce the spread of TB,” she said.

With declining donor support, Ogbuji-Ladipo stressed the need to increase domestic funding, saying, “In light of dwindling donor support, we need to intensify our advocacy for domestic resources for TB now, more than ever,” she said, urging Nigerians to unite in the fight.

“Let us stand together as a community, support one another, and say boldly, Yes, we can end TB”.