Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has urged African nations to strengthen domestic health financing, reduce reliance on foreign aid, and uphold budget commitments to ensure sustainable healthcare.
At the 38th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, called for sustainable health financing strategies to bolster Africa’s healthcare systems. Speaking at a High-Level Meeting on Domestic Health Financing, convened by Rwandan President Paul Kagame, she stressed the need for innovative funding mechanisms to reduce dependency on foreign aid.
“Africa cannot continue to rely solely on donor funding and foreign aid, which, although helpful, are often unpredictable and unsustainable,” Tinubu stated. She urged African governments to honour their Abuja Declaration commitment to allocate at least 15% of national budgets to healthcare.
Highlighting Nigeria’s perspective, she emphasised the link between health and economic prosperity, advocating for expanded health insurance, endowment funds, and diaspora investments. As the Global and National Stop TB Champion, she also underscored the role of African First Ladies in mobilising resources through private sector and international partnerships.
The meeting saw consensus among leaders from Rwanda, Ethiopia, Kenya, and others on prioritising local investment in research, technology, and healthcare workforce development. Participants stressed the need for transparency and accountability to ensure efficient use of funds, signaling a renewed commitment to sustainable, homegrown healthcare solutions.
