The United States government has approved a five-year, $2.1 billion health partnership with Nigeria aimed at strengthening the country’s healthcare system, with a significant focus on faith-based and community health providers.
Under the agreement, the funding will support the expansion of preventive and treatment services for major public health challenges, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, polio, as well as maternal and child healthcare services.
The deal, jointly coordinated by the US Department of State and the US Congress, is expected to complement Nigeria’s healthcare efforts, particularly through faith-based clinics and hospitals that currently provide services to millions of Nigerians across the country.
As part of the bilateral arrangement, the Nigerian government has committed to increasing its domestic health spending by nearly $3 billion over the same five-year period, signalling a push toward long-term sustainability and shared responsibility in healthcare financing.
A spokesperson for the US State Department described the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as the largest co-investment made so far under the America First Global Health Strategy. The framework prioritises self-reliance, data protection, and targeted interventions in critical disease areas.
The agreement also aligns with ongoing reforms within Nigeria’s health sector and includes dedicated support for faith-based healthcare institutions, many of which operate in underserved and conflict-affected communities.
US authorities noted that continued collaboration would depend on alignment with agreed policy objectives, stressing that programmes could be reviewed or suspended if they fail to meet strategic or national interest expectations.
The MoU was signed despite Nigeria’s continued designation by the US as a Country of Particular Concern and recent travel-related restrictions, which were linked to security and migration concerns.
The America First Global Health Strategy, unveiled in September 2025, covers several countries worldwide and represents a shift in US foreign health assistance toward accountability, local capacity building, and measurable outcomes.