WASHINGTON — The United States has entered into a landmark five-year health agreement with Nigeria, pledging nearly $2.1 billion to bolster the West African nation’s medical infrastructure with a specific focus on Christian faith-based providers, the State Department announced Saturday.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) represents a cornerstone of the “America First Global Health Strategy,” linking U.S. foreign assistance to both domestic health spending and the protection of religious minorities.
Under the terms of the deal, the Department of State intends to work with Congress to fund preventative and curative services for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, polio, and maternal and child health. In exchange, Nigeria has committed to increasing its own domestic health expenditures by nearly $3 billion over the next five years.
“This is the largest co-investment any country has made to date under the America First Global Health Strategy,” said Thomas “Tommy” Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the State Department.
Focus on Faith-Based Infrastructure
A primary pillar of the agreement is the integration of Nigeria’s 900 faith-based clinics and hospitals into the national health strategy. These facilities currently provide care for more than 30% of the Nigerian population.
The MOU includes dedicated funding specifically for Christian health care facilities to expand their reach. According to the State Department, these investments are intended to complement public-run facilities while stabilizing the country’s overall health network.
Security and National Interest
The agreement follows recent reforms by the Nigerian government aimed at protecting Christian populations from extremist violence. The Trump administration signaled that continued aid is contingent upon Nigeria’s progress in or combatting religious persecution.
“The Trump Administration expects Nigeria to continue to make progress ensuring that it combats extremist religious violence against vulnerable Christian populations,” Pigott said in a statement.
The State Department noted that the President and Secretary of State retain the authority to pause or terminate programs that do not align with U.S. national interests.
Key Financial Figures | Contributor | Amount | Duration | | :— | :— | :— | | United States | $2.1 Billion | 5 Years | | Nigeria | $3.0 Billion | 5 Years |
The U.S. government indicated that similar multi-year bilateral agreements are expected to be signed with dozens of other countries in the coming weeks as part of the broader global health rollout.
