Nigeria, US seal $2.1bn health deal with focus on Christian-run facilities

The United States and Nigeria have entered into a five-year bilateral health memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s health system, with a particular focus on supporting Christian faith-based healthcare providers.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the US Department of State said the agreement is designed to expand access to essential preventive and curative health services. These include interventions targeting HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, and polio.

Under the MoU, the US government plans to invest nearly $2.1 billion over the five-year period. Nigeria, in turn, has committed to increasing its domestic health spending by almost $3 billion during the same timeframe. According to the US government, this represents the largest co-investment made by any country under the America First Global Health Strategy.

The agreement places strong emphasis on faith-based health institutions, particularly those run by Christian organisations. The statement noted that Nigeria has about 900 faith-based clinics and hospitals, which collectively provide healthcare services to more than 30 percent of the population. The US government said investments in these facilities are well positioned to complement public health services and enhance the country’s overall healthcare infrastructure.

The MoU was negotiated against the backdrop of reforms by the Nigerian government aimed at addressing violence affecting Christian communities. The US government linked its continued support to Nigeria’s progress in tackling religiously motivated violence.

According to the statement, the Trump administration expects Nigeria to demonstrate ongoing efforts to combat extremist violence targeting vulnerable Christian populations. It also noted that US assistance remains subject to broader foreign policy considerations.

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“As with all foreign assistance, the President and Secretary of State retain the authority to pause or terminate programmes that do not align with the national interest,” the statement said.

The US government added that it plans to sign similar multi-year bilateral health cooperation agreements in the coming weeks with several other countries that receive US health assistance.