The United States and Nigeria have signed a five-year bilateral health memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system, with a strong focus on expanding services delivered by Christian faith-based providers, the U.S. Department of State has said.
Under the agreement, the United States intends to commit nearly US$2.1 billion over five years to support essential preventive and curative health services in Nigeria, including programmes targeting HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, and polio. The funding will be implemented in coordination with the US Congress as part of Washington’s broader global health engagement.
Nigeria, for its part, has committed to increasing its domestic health spending by almost US$3 billion during the lifespan of the MOU. The State Department said this represents the largest co-investment made by any partner country so far under the America First Global Health Strategy.
According to the State Department, the agreement was negotiated alongside reforms by the Nigerian government aimed at prioritising the protection of Christian communities affected by religious violence. The MOU includes dedicated funding for Christian health facilities, with an emphasis on expanding integrated care across infectious diseases and maternal and child health services.
Faith-based healthcare providers play a significant role in Nigeria’s health system. The State Department said the country has about 900 faith-based clinics and hospitals, which together serve more than 30 percent of the population. US officials said investments in these facilities are expected to complement services provided by public health institutions and strengthen overall healthcare delivery, particularly in underserved areas.
“As with all foreign assistance,” the department said, the US president and secretary of state retain the authority to pause or terminate programmes that do not align with US national interests. The statement added that the US administration expects Nigeria to continue efforts to combat extremist religious violence, particularly against vulnerable Christian populations.
The agreement comes as Washington moves to formalise longer-term health cooperation frameworks with partner countries receiving US health assistance. The State Department said it plans to sign similar multi-year bilateral MOUs with dozens of countries in the coming weeks, as part of efforts to provide more predictable and accountable global health financing.
Nigeria is one of the largest recipients of US health assistance globally, reflecting both its population size and its disease burden. The new agreement signals continued US engagement in Nigeria’s health sector while placing greater emphasis on domestic co-financing and the role of non-state healthcare providers.
