The Country Director of Sightsavers Nigeria, Prof. Joy Shuaibu, has called on the Federal Government to increase domestic funding for the treatment and elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), warning that declining foreign aid could threaten progress made in combating the diseases. Shuaibu said Nigeria could lose years of progress if the government failed to take greater financial responsibility for programmes targeting NTDs.
She made the call during a two-day Sightsavers Media Partners Meeting held in Kano on November 3 and 4, 2026. The meeting focused on the organisation’s activities, programme achievements, media engagement and ways to strengthen its relationship with journalists. According to Shuaibu, nearly 99 per cent of investments in NTD programmes have come from foreign donors, raising concerns about the government’s commitment to sustaining the interventions.
She explained that millions of dollars had been spent on purchasing and distributing medicines over the past two decades, warning that these investments could be lost without adequate local funding. Shuaibu also noted that changes in international funding arrangements had made it increasingly important for Nigeria to take ownership of its health programmes. She said donors were now expecting recipient governments to demonstrate financial commitment before providing additional support, adding that failure to meet these requirements could limit access to funding.
The Sightsavers director identified domestic resource mobilization as a major priority, stressing that the government needed to provide sufficient funds to sustain efforts against neglected diseases. She disclosed that the organization had records of health sector investments made over the past 20 years, including state-by-state information on medicine costs and other interventions, which could help governments plan their financial contributions.
On disability inclusion, Shuaibu urged the government to move away from treating support for persons with disabilities as charity and instead recognize their access to education, healthcare, employment and other opportunities as fundamental rights. She criticized the practice of politicians distributing wheelchairs to persons with disabilities for publicity, arguing that such gestures failed to address the wider barriers they face. Shuaibu also advocated inclusive education, particularly at the primary school level, saying children with disabilities should have opportunities to learn alongside other children to promote equality and reduce discrimination.
Sightsavers Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to increase local funding for neglected tropical disease programmes as foreign aid declines. The organisation also wants stronger disability rights and inclusive education for children with disabilities.
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