Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, pledged an additional N1 billion on Monday to help eliminate Tuberculosis (TB) in Nigeria by 2030. This donation follows her previous N1 billion pledge in March 2024 after being named Global and National Stop-TB Champion.
“I would like to pledge another N1 billion from the Renewed Hope Initiative to fight TB in Nigeria,” Mrs. Tinubu stated at the 2025 World TB Day Community Outreach at Sauka Village, Airport Road, Abuja.
Her Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs. Busola Kukoyi, confirmed the donation in a statement titled ‘Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI donates N1bn to strengthen the fight against TB further.’ She emphasized that TB is a health emergency requiring urgent attention, urging Nigerians to get tested and know their TB status.
The First Lady stressed that ending TB by 2030 is a collective responsibility, involving the government, traditional and religious leaders, legislators, youth, healthcare workers, the private sector, NGOs, community organizations, and international partners.
“The statistics from the World Health Organization’s 2024 Global TB Report are alarming. In Nigeria, one person dies from TB every seven minutes,” she said, adding that action must be taken urgently to prevent further loss of life.
Mrs. Tinubu also highlighted the unacceptable high prevalence of TB in Nigeria, calling for unified efforts to combat the treatable airborne disease. As the Global and National Stop-TB Champion, she reaffirmed her commitment to addressing the TB challenge and pledged continued advocacy for more funding, policy reforms, and resources to support awareness and treatment programs. She also vowed to amplify the voices of TB survivors, combat stigma, and ensure equitable access to TB care for women, children, and marginalized groups.
The First Lady acknowledged the government’s efforts to expand TB testing and treatment centers across Nigeria, making treatment free and accessible to all, strengthening community-based healthcare, and enhancing partnerships to scale up TB control programs.
In her personal statement for World Tuberculosis Day 2025, Mrs. Tinubu said defeating TB is possible when there is collective action, investment in proven solutions, and the delivery of life-saving interventions to those in need.
“Today, on World Tuberculosis Day 2025, I join the global community in reaffirming our commitment to ending one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases. TB is preventable and curable, and we must ensure that more lives are not lost to this disease,” she declared.
She urged all Nigerians to take TB seriously, encouraging anyone with symptoms such as a persistent cough, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, or fever to visit the nearest health facility for free TB testing and treatment.
Earlier, Dr. Iziaq Salako, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, expressed confidence that eradicating TB in Nigeria by 2030 is achievable, especially with President Bola Tinubu’s strong commitment to improving the health and well-being of Nigerians.
In response to a request from the Sapeyi of Garki, Dr. Usman Kupi, for a Primary Health Centre in Sauka Community, the First Lady assured them that the project would be addressed in consultation with the Minister.
The event also featured a health talk on TB causes, symptoms, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, along with on-site testing for the disease.
The theme for World Tuberculosis Day 2025 was “Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, and Deliver,” with the local slogan “We Fit Do Am.”