Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately publish the full details of Nigeria's health Memorandum of Understanding with the United States. This request comes amid concerns raised by Ghana over a similar proposed compact. Atiku's demand for transparency is driven by the need for Nigerians to understand the exact commitments made by the Federal Government under the agreement.
Nigeria and the United States signed a five-year health cooperation MoU in December 2025. The agreement aims to strengthen disease surveillance, laboratory systems, primary healthcare, health data systems, and procedures for pathogen sample collection, transportation, testing, storage, and disposal. Under the terms, the US will provide nearly $2 billion in grant funding between April 2026 and December 2030. In return, Nigeria has committed to allocating at least six percent of its executed annual federal and state budgets to health.
The agreement is projected to mobilize nearly $3 billion over the period. However, Atiku expressed concerns that Nigerians are not aware of the specific provisions in the MoU signed by Tinubu. He cited Ghanaian President John Mahama's explanation that his country rejected a proposed US health compact due to concerns over medical records, pathogen information, counterpart funding, and the inspection of medicines and medical products.
Atiku emphasized that the demand for disclosure has become more urgent given Ghana's experience. He stressed that Nigerians should not have to guess what has been agreed in their name. The former vice president also raised concerns about the state of Nigeria's health system and the government's ability to fund already approved programs. He cited the disclosure by Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, that only N36 million was released from the N218 billion appropriated for capital projects and programs at the ministry's headquarters in 2025.
Atiku questioned how the government intends to honor a multibillion-dollar commitment with such limited funding. He called on the Federal Government to publish the complete MoU, along with all related protocols, annexes, data-sharing arrangements, specimen-sharing provisions, and financial undertakings. Atiku also raised concerns about maternal mortality and asked the government to demonstrate how its domestic health policies and international partnerships are improving outcomes for Nigerians.
The former vice president stressed that Nigeria should continue to pursue international health cooperation but insisted that such agreements must be transparent and subject to public scrutiny. He added that the same standard of disclosure should apply to other international agreements entered into by the administration. Atiku emphasized that Nigeria's sovereignty is not classified information and that the government must be accountable for the terms it accepts and the results it delivers.
The Federal Ministry of Health had announced the agreement in December 2025, stating that the partnership was designed to strengthen health security, disease surveillance, primary healthcare, laboratory systems, and domestic health financing. The ministry aims to progressively reduce dependence on external grants. Atiku's call for transparency has sparked a national conversation about the need for openness in international agreements.
Key points
- Atiku Abubakar urges President Tinubu to disclose details of Nigeria-US health MoU
- Nigeria-US health MoU aims to strengthen disease surveillance and primary healthcare
- Atiku raises concerns about transparency and accountability in international agreements
