The National Assembly is calling for greater domestic investment and enhanced collaboration in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria in Nigeria, following an 11% reduction in funding from the Global Fund. The cut, valued at over $100 million, has raised concerns about the country’s heavy reliance on external aid to combat these diseases.
This appeal was made during the opening ceremony of the 2025 Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) Nigeria annual retreat and its 70th General Assembly in Lagos. The three-day event, themed “Partnering to Improve Health Systems Outcomes in an Evolving Global Health Financing Landscape,” brought together lawmakers, health officials, civil society groups, and development partners to review progress and accountability in the use of donor funds.
The CCM Nigeria, a public-private partnership, is responsible for coordinating funding applications to the Global Fund, an international institution dedicated to ending HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria. With the Global Fund supporting country-led health programs in over 100 countries, including Nigeria, the lawmakers are urging for a more sustainable approach to healthcare funding.
Health grant reduction
Nigeria’s allocation under the Global Fund’s current grant cycle has been reduced by 11 per cent, dropping from about $970 million to $860 million, according to a former vice chair of the Global Fund CCM, Ayo Ipinmoye.
This leaves a funding gap of over $100 million for key health interventions targeting HIV, TB, and malaria. The cut affects the ongoing Grant Cycle 7, which covers the 2024 to 2026 period.
Giving his remarks during the opening ceremony, the Global Fund Country Portfolio Manager for Nigeria, Jean-Thomas Nouboussi, urged Nigeria, through the National Assembly, to look towards mobilising local resources to close the gaps which may arise from the funding cut.
Mr Nouboussi explained that the funding cut was due to global financial challenges, which have made it difficult for the Global Fund to meet its original pledge.
“We just sent a letter to the CCM to inform them that unfortunately, we will have to reduce the amount allocated to Nigeria by around 11 per cent,” he said. “This is not great news, but Nigeria remains one of the largest beneficiaries of the Global Fund.”
“With the support of the Senate, with the support of the representative, Nigeria will be able to raise additional resources to fill the gaps that will be created by this reduction of the international funding, and also, most importantly, start discussing the path to sustainability.”
Since 2002, the Global Fund has committed about $4.8 billion to Nigeria to support its responses to HIV, TB, and malaria, along with broader health system strengthening efforts.
Mr Nouboussi also noted that Nigeria had contributed about $40 million to the Global Fund over the years.
Earlier this year, the Donald Trump administration shut down a major part of USAID and suspended the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), disrupting essential HIV and malaria programmes across Africa.
At the CCM retreat, speakers referenced these developments as a wake-up call for Nigeria to reduce its reliance on external donors and build a more self-sustaining health system.
Lawmakers demand transparency, accountability
For the first time in CCM Nigeria’s history, members of the National Assembly were invited to participate in the annual retreat, convened under the leadership of Nigeria’s Minister of Health and CCM Chair, Muhammad Pate.
The gathering aimed to review how Global Fund resources are being managed in Nigeria and to build stronger collaboration across government institutions.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (ATM), Amobi Ogah, criticised the previous lack of parliamentary oversight and called for greater transparency in how health funds are disbursed and used.
Mr Ogah warned against Nigeria’s continued reliance on foreign aid for critical health services like childhood immunisation and malaria treatment.
“The United States has already suspended some of its support to African health systems,” he said. “If donor funding stops today, what happens? We must take our destiny into our own hands.”
Mr Ogah described the retreat as a timely opportunity to improve how resources are allocated and to ensure that funds reach the people who need them.
He stressed that programmes and organisations must account for every grant they receive, and called for stricter adherence to funding guidelines.
To strengthen oversight, he proposed that a National Assembly representative be included on the CCM board to improve transparency and communication.
Similarly, Samaila Kaila, senator representing Bauchi North, questioned the constitutional framework for managing the nearly $5 billion Nigeria has received from the Global Fund.
Mr Kaila also raised concerns about whether such investments have led to measurable improvements in the country’s health outcomes. “I hope that after this exercise, we’ll be convinced and ready to support you,” he said.
Domestic funding push
Further speaking at the event, Mr Ipinmoye said the retreat was about aligning all stakeholders, including Parliament, behind a shared goal to improve the national health response.
Mr Ipinmoye, also the National Coordinator, Civil Society in Malaria Control, Immunisation and Nutrition (ACOMIN), added that Nigeria must now begin to prioritise its health budget and move toward sustainability.
“We are operating what we call the sector-wide approach, coordination between all funding streams to ensure optimal benefit for every naira spent,” he said.
“The gap created by this 11 per cent reduction is something we want the National Assembly to take on.”
“This is the first time the retreat is being held in collaboration with the National Assembly,” he said. “We want to ensure that gaps left by donors are taken up by the Nigerian government. It’s not just about the money, it’s about accountability, efficiency and effectiveness.”
On his part, CCM Nigeria’s Executive Secretary, Tajudeen Ibrahim, said the government’s health budget has hovered between 4 and 4.8 per cent over the last decade, far below the 15 per cent Abuja Declaration target.
Mr Ibrahim warned that “If we do not mobilise domestic funding, we risk reversing the gains made in reducing HIV prevalence from 5.8 per cent to 1.3 per cent, and major progress in TB and malaria.”
He also stressed that CCM requires funding for its oversight functions, which Global Fund grants should not cover.
“In two decades, what we’ve received from the Nigerian government for our core operations has been grossly inadequate,” he said.
As an agency, the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Temitope Ilori, said they are already pushing for domestic budget lines, improved procurement systems, and broader health insurance enrolment to reduce out-of-pocket costs.
