Public Health Experts Call for Urgent Action on Soaring Diabetes Costs in Nigeria

Public health experts and Nigerians living with diabetes have called on the federal government to make life-saving medicines more affordable, warning that rising costs are putting treatment out of reach for most people.

The call followed a study by DGI Consult, supported by Gatefield, which revealed that inflation and low incomes have made managing diabetes extremely expensive. Experts described the situation as a national crisis requiring urgent government action.

They urged the adoption of an Affordable Medicines Facility for Diabetes (AMFD) to reduce retail prices of insulin and other essential drugs, alongside targeted subsidies for low-income earners.

Experts also recommended expanding National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) coverage to include all diabetes medicines and lab services, and supporting local medicine production through tax incentives and low-interest loans.

Farida Adamu, Research and Insight Lead at preGatefield, said that insulin prices have risen by over 200 percent, with many people now spending up to 90 percent of their income just to afford treatment.

“A drug that used to cost ₦5,000 now costs ₦40,000, and many patients are dying silently because they can’t pay for treatment,” said Prof. Felicia Anumah, Director of the Centre for Diabetes Studies at the University of Abuja.

“Diabetes is expensive even without complications, but with complications, it becomes a nightmare. Accessibility and affordability must come first before transparency frameworks can work,” she added.

Experts warned that urgent policy measures are needed to protect vulnerable Nigerians and ensure that diabetes care is accessible and affordable for all.