The Federal Government has signed a five-year, $5.1 billion bilateral health cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United States, under which the US is expected to commit nearly $2.1 billion in health assistance, while Nigeria will invest about $3.0 billion in domestic health spending over the same period.
The agreement, aligned with the America First Global Health Strategy, is aimed at strengthening resilient, self-reliant, and sustainable health systems in Nigeria, while promoting accountability and shared responsibility.
In a statement on Sunday, the US Mission in Nigeria said the MOU represents the largest co-investment by any country under the strategy to date, underscoring Nigeria’s growing commitment to greater national ownership of its healthcare system.
Under the pact, US support will continue for disease surveillance and outbreak response, laboratory systems, health commodities, frontline healthcare workers, and health data systems. The partnership will also expand access to preventive and curative services for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, polio, and maternal and child health, areas where Nigeria faces significant challenges, including high maternal and child mortality rates and nearly 30 per cent of the global malaria burden.
The MOU places particular emphasis on Christian faith-based healthcare providers, recognising their critical role in delivering services, especially in underserved communities. According to the US Mission, Nigeria’s more than 900 faith-based clinics and hospitals serve over 30 per cent of the population, often in areas with limited or no public healthcare facilities.
About $200 million has been earmarked to strengthen these faith-based institutions, enhance workforce capacity, and expand integrated health services, including HIV, TB, malaria, and maternal and child healthcare.
The US Mission noted that, as with all American foreign assistance, programmes under the agreement may be reviewed, paused, or terminated if they do not align with US national interests. It also stressed expectations that Nigeria will continue to make measurable progress in addressing religiously motivated violence against Christian communities.
The agreement is one of several health cooperation MOUs signed by the United States with African countries this month, as Washington advances its America First Global Health Strategy through multi-year bilateral partnerships.
