Federal and state governments in Nigeria aim to increase budget allocations for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in the 2027 budget cycle, as part of efforts to build sustainable, country-led funding for their elimination.
The Federal Ministry of Health said 23 states created dedicated budget lines for NTDs in 2026, up from 19 states in 2025, which together set aside more than $1 million. The figures were reported after the annual High-Level Meeting on NTDs held in Abuja in late October.
Kano State pledged an additional N100 million (about $75,000) for snakebite envenoming, while the Kaduna State House of Assembly plans to raise its 2027 commitment by 50 per cent.
Nigeria accounts for 25 per cent of Africa’s NTD burden. NTDs are a group of 21 diseases that can cause disability, disfigurement and death. The meeting was convened by Uniting to Combat NTDs with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and The Global Fund. It was themed “Strengthening Efforts to Control and Eliminate NTDs, HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria in Nigeria.”
Participants included Commissioners of Health from the 36 states, national and state legislators, programme managers and development partners.
Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Amos Magaji, pledged to secure a significant share of basic healthcare provision funds for NTDs from 2027. He admitted budget releases had been poor but said efforts were under way to ensure the diseases were prioritised.
Timely release of state funds would position Nigeria to leverage an additional $7 million from the Reaching the Last Mile Fund (RLMF) in 2027, officials said.
National Coordinator for NTDs at the Federal Ministry of Health, Adebayo Peters, said the number of people affected had dropped drastically, crediting contributions from government and implementing partners.
Head of Resource Mobilisation at Uniting to Combat NTDs, Gerald Ogoko, said the growth from 19 to 23 states showed rising momentum and set an example across Africa. He urged health ministries and legislators to bring more states on board and prioritise NTDs in 2027 planning.
With RLMF co-investment and national budget support, Nigeria has freed 91.1 million people from needing lymphatic filariasis treatment, according to the Expanded Special Project for the Elimination of NTDs (ESPEN). About N200 million ($150,000) was also mobilised in the 2025 national health budget for snakebite envenoming.
The efforts are aimed at meeting the World Health Organization’s 2030 elimination targets.
