Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development

Study links sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juice consumption to high blood pressure

Study links sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juice consumption to high blood pressure Children who regularly consume sugar-sweetened beverages and large amounts of fruit juice may be at greater risk of developing

Celebrating Leadership & Impact at LISDEL!

We are thrilled to celebrate two of our remarkable directors (Dr. Nihinlola Mabogunje - Board Member, LISDEL and Mrs. Juliana Abude-Aribo - Executive Director, LISDEL) for being named among Nigeria’s Exceptional and Most Value-Adding Female Professionals in The Guardian Newspaper's Special Report (August 2, 2026)!

Their visionary leadership continues to shape sustainable solutions and strengthen health policy advocacy across Nigeria. We couldn't be prouder to have their invaluable contributions recognized on a national scale.

Congratulations to our directors on this incredible milestone! 🏆

Legislators, government health agencies, civil society organizations and patient advocates issued a strong call for increased, sustained financing to tackle hypertension and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) across Africa, during a high-profile technical session at the Africa Primary Health Care Conference (APHCF) 2026.

The session, "From Burden to Budget: Financing Hypertension and Other Non-Communicable Diseases Through Primary Health Care in Africa," was hosted by the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) in collaboration with the Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development (LISDEL) and the Gammun Centre for Care and Development.

Hon. Amos Magaji, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare Services, reaffirmed the National Assembly's engagement with bills to expand the BHCPF and reform the sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax to support health financing. He noted that consultations are ongoing with the health insurance sector to determine an equitable funding-sharing formula among the BHCPF gateways and urged sustained advocacy to keep the bills moving forward.

Damilola Ademuyiwa of LISDEL called for a shift from disease-specific financing to comprehensive health system financing, citing BHCPF expansion and ring-fenced SSB tax revenue as key tools.

Mallam Hussaini Lamadi of the National Association of People Living with Hypertension identified major barriers to care in Kano, including low awareness, limited screening infrastructure, drug shortages, and high private-sector medicine costs. Tulari Tine, Executive Director of the Gammun Centre for Care and Development, shared how the centre has strengthened community accountability and advocacy in Kano through its Hypertension Ambassadors initiative and targeted capacity-building efforts.

The session concluded with concrete commitments from stakeholders:

Civil society organizations to attend public hearings on health financing bills and support lawmakers with data.

Experts and public figures are encouraged to use primary health centers directly to help drive service improvements.

All stakeholders to maintain sustained engagement with Nigeria's National Assembly to accelerate passage of key health financing legislation.

"You don't get what you deserve; you get what you pursue," Hon. Magaji told participants, underscoring the need for continued advocacy to translate policy commitments into financing action.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have become one of the leading causes of morbidity, disability and premature mortality across Africa.

To catalyze policy commitment, sustainable domestic financing and strengthened primary health care systems for the prevention and control of hypertension and other non-communicable diseases across Africa, join us at the Africa Primary Health Care Forum (APHCF) organized by West African Institute of Public Health.

During this conference, a technical session on NCDs financing in Africa will be conducted. This session is hosted by the Global Health Advocacy Incubator in collaboration with the Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development (LISDEL) and the GAMMUN Centre for Care and Development.

Follow the conversation!

Lived experiences and the testimonies of patients can bring to light the daily struggles of managing hypertension and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Watch our discussion with the Independent Television (ITV) on the health and economic costs of underfunding hypertension in Nigeria. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T_AtsP-wIQ

TACKLING NCDS IN NIGERIA: A Look At Public Financing For Control Of Hypertension www.itvradiong.com/liveYouTube: | https://www.youtube....

Over 27 million people live with hypertension in Nigeria. And despite this surge, awareness is critically low—Prof. Emmanuel Alhasssan

The Patient-Led Advocacy Working Group on NCDs held a strategic engagement meeting with the secretary of the Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) of the BHCPF—Dr. Uzoma Nwankwo. Facilitated with support from Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development (LISDEL) and the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), the meeting aimed to amplify patient voices and secure increased public investment in healthcare—specifically targeting hypertension and other NCDs within the Basic Minimum Package of Health Services (BMPHS).

Key outcomes & commitments from the engagement include the ongoing plan to expand the number of functional healthcare facilities, multi-agency mobilization, and decentralized governance—plans to establish Local Government Area (LGA) advisory committees.

The patient-led Advocacy Working Group on NCDs with support from LISDEL and the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), held a high-level engagement bringing together media executives, civil society actors, patient representatives, and other key stakeholders to stimulate informed conversations on hypertension and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

The goal is to strengthen the visibility and quality of NCD reporting, amplify advocacy voices, and deepen public and policy attention to the prevention, treatment, and sustainable financing of hypertension control in Nigeria.

The background of the meeting was unveiled by our Public Finance Manager- Olympus Adebanjo and during the interactive question-and-answer session, participants raised important issues around the causes and risk factors of hypertension, the alarming prevalence of the disease, and the critical role of the media in increasing public awareness and driving policy attention.

One of the most powerful moments of the dialogue was hearing the lived experiences of patients. Their testimonies reminded us that behind every statistic is a person, a family, and a community. They reinforced the urgency of improving access to quality healthcare, increasing public awareness, and ensuring that hypertension, often described as a silent killer, receives the attention it deserves.

The plenary discussion which was initiated by Prof. Emmanuel Alhassan, GHAI country coordinator in Nigeria, focused on assessing the current state of media coverage of hypertension and other NCDs, examining the media's role in shaping public opinion and influencing policy and financing decisions, and identifying opportunities for stronger collaboration among journalists, patient groups, civil society organizations, health experts, and government stakeholders.

Immediate commitments from this luncheon are:
~ CSOs will continue to support media engagement through workshops, op-eds, luncheons, and other initiatives to strengthen reporting on hypertension and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
~ The media will prioritize human-interest/angle stories that highlight the lived experiences of people affected by hypertension and other NCDs.
~ The media will develop a reporting calendar to ensure consistent coverage of hypertension and other NCD-related issues throughout the year.
~ TV houses are committed to producing a documentary and interviews on hypertension and other non-communicable diseases to raise public awareness.

These signaled a great step in a good direction to reducing the burden and the economic cost of underfunded hypertension and other NCDs in Nigeria