Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress, has urged the Nigerian government to publicly release its health agreement with the United States. This call follows remarks from Ghanaian President John Mahama, who revealed that Ghana declined a proposed health compact with the U.S. due to concerns over medical records and funding obligations.
Atiku emphasized that the lack of clarity regarding the provisions of Nigeria’s agreement highlights the necessity for transparency. “Nigerians should not have to guess what has been agreed in their name,” he stated.
In December 2025, Nigeria entered into a five-year health Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S., focusing on various aspects such as disease surveillance and biosafety procedures. The U.S. is expected to provide nearly $2 billion in grants for the initiative, with Nigeria pledging to increase its health financing by approximately $3 billion over the same period.
However, Atiku criticized the Nigerian government’s track record, citing the high maternal death rates, calling attention to the urgent need for improved healthcare services. He questioned the government’s capability to meet its funding commitments, given that only a fraction of the allocated budget for health projects had been released to date.
Atiku has called for a complete disclosure of the Memorandum of Understanding and related agreements, insisting on clarity regarding patient data protection and the authority over the inspection of imported medical products.
He reiterated that while Nigeria welcomes international partnerships aimed at improving health outcomes, the government must be accountable for the terms it accepts and the commitments it makes.
