Over 440,000 TB Cases Identified in Nigeria
Nigeria recorded a historic 440,000 tuberculosis (TB) cases in 2025, a massive leap from the 138,591 cases reported just five years ago. Speaking in Abuja to mark World TB Day 2026, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, attributed this surge not to an outbreak, but to a radical expansion of the nation’s diagnostic net. The “GeneXpert” network, the frontline in rapid TB detection, has grown from a mere 32 machines in 2012 to 527 this year. While the numbers are high, health authorities view the data as a victory for visibility over a traditionally “hidden” killer.
Despite the record notifications, thousands of Nigerians still carry the bacteria undiagnosed. These “missing” cases represent the greatest threat to public health, as untreated individuals continue to spread the infection within their communities. To bridge this gap, the ministry launched the Multisectoral Accountability Framework for TB (MAF-TB). This new tool allows the government to track funding commitments and clinical outcomes in real-time, moving away from the fragmented, donor-heavy models of the past.
The clinical silver lining remains Nigeria’s 94 percent treatment success rate. This high efficacy suggests that once a patient enters the system, the combination of healthcare dedication and drug availability is working. However, Coordinating Minister of Health Muhammad Pate warned that this success is fragile. Global health financing is cooling, and Nigeria must now lean on domestic resource mobilisation to prevent commodity stockouts. The goal is a “sector-wide approach” that integrates TB, HIV, and malaria funding to stretch every Naira further.
Integration is now the watchword for the ministry’s public health department. TB remains the leading cause of death among people living with HIV in Nigeria, making the “siloed” treatment of these two diseases a deadly inefficiency. Director of Public Health Charles Nzelu emphasised that the 2026 strategy prioritises “preventive technologies” and integrated service delivery. By testing for TB at every HIV clinic and vice versa, the government hopes to catch co-infections before they become terminal.
The 2026 World TB Day theme centres on national ownership and community empowerment. Queen Ogbuji-Ladipo of the Stop TB Partnership noted that as international aid retreats, the Nigerian government must lead the charge in domestic financing. The MAF-TB framework is designed to hold state and local governments accountable for their share of the bill. Without consistent provincial funding, the sophisticated GeneXpert machines in rural areas risk becoming expensive ornaments due to a lack of reagents or power.
Nigeria’s battle with TB is transitioning from a crisis of “not knowing” to a crisis of “reaching.” The infrastructure is largely in place, with TB-TrueNAT units increasing tenfold over the last decade, but the final mile remains the hardest. Innovation and domestic discipline are the only tools left to find the undiagnosed thousands. As the Minister noted, doubling or tripling commitments is no longer a choice; it is the only way to ensure that the 440,000 cases of 2025 become the starting point for total eradication.