The Country Director of Sightsavers Nigeria, 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 reverse years of progress.
Shuaibu said Nigeria risked losing the gains made over the past two decades if the government failed to take greater financial responsibility for programmes targeting the diseases.
She made the call at a two-day Sightsavers Media Partners Meeting held in Kano on November 3 and 4, 2026. The meeting focused on the organisation’s programmes and impact, media engagement strategies and stronger collaboration with journalists.
The country director disclosed that nearly 99 per cent of investments in NTD programmes had come from foreign aid, raising concerns about the government’s commitment to sustaining the interventions.
She said millions of dollars had been invested in procuring and distributing medicines over the years, warning that the progress achieved could be undermined without adequate domestic funding.
Shuaibu also noted that changes in the international funding landscape had made it increasingly important for Nigeria to take ownership of its health programmes, as donors now expect recipient governments to demonstrate financial commitment before providing additional support.
She explained that the government’s inability to state its contribution could affect efforts to secure further funding for NTD programmes.
Shuaibu identified domestic resource mobilisation as a major priority, adding that Sightsavers had records of investments made in the health sector over the past 20 years, including state-by-state data on medicine costs and other interventions, which could guide government funding decisions.
On disability inclusion, she urged the government to move beyond charity-driven interventions and recognise access to education, healthcare, employment and other opportunities as fundamental rights of persons with disabilities.
She criticised the practice of politicians distributing wheelchairs for publicity, saying such gestures failed to address the deeper barriers confronting persons with disabilities.
The Sightsavers director advocated inclusive education, particularly at the primary school level, where children with disabilities should learn alongside their peers to promote equality and reduce discrimination.
She warned that separating children with disabilities into special schools could reinforce stigma and undermine their confidence and self-esteem.
Shuaibu disclosed that Sightsavers had piloted its inclusive education approach in Kaduna State, demonstrating the possibility of creating learning environments where children with disabilities can participate fully.
She also expressed concern over the gap between disability-related policies and their implementation, attributing the slow progress to inadequate compliance, political commitment and enforcement.
The country director called on journalists to investigate and report the experiences of persons with disabilities, noting that media coverage could expose discrimination and pressure policymakers to fulfil their responsibilities.
She assured journalists that Sightsavers was ready to provide relevant information and data to support accurate reporting on disability rights and inclusive development.
Shuaibu stressed that stronger collaboration between development organisations and the media was essential to ensuring that marginalised communities were heard and their needs reflected in government policies and programmes.
