The United States has committed nearly $2.1 billion in health assistance to Nigeria under a five-year bilateral health cooperation agreement, with a significant portion directed at Christian-run hospitals and healthcare providers, U.S. officials said on Sunday.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on December 19, is valued at $5.1 billion, with Nigeria providing the larger share – about $3 billion – through increased domestic health spending. U.S. officials said the agreement reflects Washington’s support for Nigeria’s health system while promoting national ownership and accountability.
Under the deal, the U.S. will continue to support disease surveillance, outbreak response, laboratory systems, health commodities, frontline health workers, and health data systems. Funding will target HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, polio, and maternal and child health. Nigeria bears roughly 30 percent of the global malaria burden and has among the world’s highest maternal and child mortality rates.
A central feature of the agreement is support for Christian faith-based healthcare institutions, which the U.S. Mission described as critical to healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
The country has more than 900 Christian-run clinics and hospitals, serving over 30 percent of Nigeria’s 230 million people, often in areas with limited or no public health facilities.
About $200 million of the U.S. commitment is dedicated to strengthening these facilities, expanding workforce capacity, and integrating services across major disease areas.
U.S. officials said the agreement was negotiated alongside reforms by the Nigerian government aimed at improving the protection of Christian communities from extremist violence.
Religious Freedom Violations
President Donald Trump has repeatedly raised concerns about the treatment of Christians in Nigeria and recently re-designated the country as one of particular concern for religious freedom violations.
The U.S. State Department noted that Washington retains the right to suspend or terminate assistance if programmes no longer align with U.S. national interests, adding that Nigeria is expected to show measurable progress in tackling religiously motivated violence.
The Nigeria agreement is part of a wider U.S. effort to sign multi-year health cooperation deals with African countries under its global health strategy.
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