Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for the immediate publication of Nigeria's health agreement with the United States. This demand comes after President John Mahama of Ghana disclosed that his country rejected a proposed compact due to concerns over medical records, pathogen information, funding obligations, and inspection of imported medicines. Atiku's request is driven by the need for transparency in the agreement, which was signed on December 19, 2025.
The Nigeria-US health Memorandum of Understanding covers disease surveillance, health data systems, and procedures involving pathogen samples. The US is expected to provide nearly $2 billion in grants, while Nigeria has committed to mobilizing nearly $3 billion over five years. However, Atiku questions how the administration will fulfill its domestic funding commitments, given that approved health projects have struggled to receive funds.
Health Minister Professor Muhammad Ali Pate previously told lawmakers that only ₦36 million had been released from the ₦218 billion appropriated for capital projects and programs at the Ministry of Health headquarters in 2025. Atiku argues that a government that cannot release funds for approved health projects must explain how it intends to honor a multibillion-dollar commitment.
Atiku's concerns are further underscored by Nigeria's healthcare challenges, including high maternal deaths. The latest internationally comparable estimates put Nigeria's maternal deaths at 75,000 in 2023, the highest total in the world. Atiku emphasizes that every one of those deaths represents a woman whose family expected her to come home.
The agreement has sparked concerns about data sharing, pathogen samples, and funding obligations. Atiku demands that the Federal Government publish the complete Memorandum of Understanding, along with related protocols, annexes, data-sharing arrangements, specimen-sharing agreements, and financial undertakings.
Atiku also questions whether Nigerians' medical information or pathogen samples can leave the country, who may access them, and what safeguards protect patients. He calls for clarity on whether the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) retains full authority to inspect medicines and medical products.
Atiku Abubakar concludes that Nigeria welcomes international cooperation that saves lives, but the government must be accountable for the terms it accepts and the results it delivers. The same duty of disclosure applies to the administration's other international commitments, including its expanding partnership with France.
Key points
- Atiku Abubakar demands publication of Nigeria-US health agreement details amid concerns over transparency and accountability.
- Nigeria's healthcare sector faces challenges, including high maternal deaths and funding constraints.
- The US is expected to provide nearly $2 billion in grants, while Nigeria has committed to mobilizing nearly $3 billion over five years.
