Nigeria recorded 458,534 cases of tuberculosis (TB) in 2025, with health authorities seeking stronger cooperation between public and private healthcare providers to help more patients get tested and treated.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), citing the annual report of the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Programme (NTBLCP), said 262,058 of the reported cases were males, while 196,476 were females.

The report showed that men accounted for 57 per cent of the cases and women 43 per cent. Children aged 14 and below made up 10 per cent of all reported cases.

To improve access to care, WHO is supporting Nigeria’s national TB programme and its partners to review guidelines for involving private healthcare providers in the fight against the disease.

The review is expected to improve how public hospitals, private clinics and other healthcare providers work together to identify people with TB, report cases and ensure patients receive proper treatment.

Many people seek medical attention at private hospitals and clinics. Strengthening these facilities’ links with the national TB programme is therefore important to ensuring that patients are diagnosed promptly and receive the right care.

WHO said the review would also strengthen coordination, accountability and compliance with Nigeria’s national TB control priorities.

The aim is to ensure that people can access quality TB prevention, testing and treatment services regardless of whether they visit a government hospital or a private health facility.

Nigeria’s TB control efforts are led by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare through the NTBLCP, with support from WHO, the Global Fund and other partners.

WHO said closer cooperation between public and private healthcare providers would help find more people with TB early and connect them to the treatment they need.

The organisation’s work on public-private collaboration in TB control in Nigeria can be found at afro.who.int/countries/Nigeria.