Oluremi Tinubu Reaffirms Nigeria’s Commitment to End Tuberculosis by 2030

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has restated the country’s firm commitment to eradicating tuberculosis (TB) by 2030 through decisive and sustainable actions aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

In a statement released on Wednesday by her media aide, Busola Kukoyi, Mrs. Tinubu made this known while addressing participants as the Special Guest of Honour at the 39th Stop TB Partnership Board Meeting in Manila, Philippines. The event brought together over 180 participants from 47 countries.

Mrs. Tinubu, who serves as the Global and National Stop TB Champion, explained that Nigeria is strengthening efforts to reduce dependence on donor support by investing in homegrown, resilient systems to sustain progress in the TB fight.

“Tuberculosis remains the leading infectious killer and a shared global threat because it is airborne,” she said, adding that sustainable TB response must come from within—through leadership, community engagement, and effective national coordination.

Despite a temporary reduction in donor support, Mrs. Tinubu highlighted that Nigeria’s fight against TB has remained strong, ensuring that the number of people diagnosed and treated in 2025 did not increase. “This is proof of the power of country ownership and the unwavering commitment of Nigerians driving this response, even amid challenges,” she noted.

Emphasising the urgency of the fight, the First Lady said TB claims nearly 1.3 million lives annually. She lamented that Nigeria remains among the eight countries accounting for two-thirds of global TB cases, with an estimated 479,000 Nigerians developing the disease and over 150,000 dying from it in 2023.

“These are not mere statistics — they are mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters whose lives compel us to act with urgency and compassion,” she said.

Mrs. Tinubu praised the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Stop TB Partnership, and other stakeholders for their transparency and dedication in ensuring that funds mobilised for TB testing, diagnosis, and treatment are effectively utilised and integrated into primary healthcare services.

In his remarks, the Chair of the Stop TB Partnership Board and Philippines Secretary of Health, Teodoro Herbosa, noted that tuberculosis poses not only a health threat but also a development challenge for many nations. “It is a critical fight, and though progress has been made, we must remain steadfast and determined,” he said.

The Executive Director of the Stop TB Partnership, Dr. Lucica Ditiu, stressed the importance of integrating data systems with national governments to accelerate progress toward ending TB by 2030. She disclosed that in five countries, a new grant facility recently enabled the screening of 8,000 people, diagnosis of 5,000, and preventive treatment for 3,000 within two months.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, also attended the meeting. The 38th edition of the Stop TB Partnership Board Meeting was hosted in Abuja, Nigeria, in 2024.