The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged the federal government to provide immediate clarification on the recently signed health cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigeria and the United States, amid sharply conflicting descriptions of the agreement by both governments.
While the Nigerian government has described the MoU as a technical and inclusive framework to strengthen health security, expand primary healthcare, and boost domestic health financing, statements from the U.S. Embassy paint a different picture.
The U.S. characterisation reportedly introduces identity-based conditions, suggesting that funding under the agreement could be directed to health institutions affiliated with a particular religion, and granting the United States discretionary powers to terminate the arrangement.
In a statement, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, warned that such provisions, if accurate, could violate Nigeria’s constitutional commitment to non-discrimination and national unity.
“It is the ADC’s considered view that Nigeria should not enter into any agreement that is sectional or potentially inimical to the Constitution’s principles of inclusion and equality,” Abdullahi said.
He also criticised the discrepancy between Abuja’s and Washington’s public accounts, calling it more than a communication gap.
“This divergence appears calculated to avoid public scrutiny, raising fundamental questions about transparency, constitutional compliance, and national sovereignty,” Abdullahi added.
The MoU reportedly envisages approximately $2 billion in U.S. grant support over five years, while Nigeria is expected to commit nearly $3 billion in domestic health financing.
The ADC stressed that Nigeria’s larger financial commitment, coupled with foreign discretion over beneficiaries and termination powers, poses serious concerns for the country’s autonomy in managing its health sector.
ADC emphasised that foreign assistance should respect Nigeria’s constitutional principles, including Sections 15, 17, and 42, which mandate non-discrimination and promote national integration.
Abdullahi said, “Healthcare is a core public good that must remain neutral, inclusive, and universally accessible.
”Injecting identity considerations risks politicizing service delivery and undermining public trust.”
The party called on the federal government to publish the full text of the signed MoU, including annexes, and to clarify whether the identity-based and security-linked elements referenced by the United States are part of Nigeria’s signed agreement.
ADC said Nigerians deserved assurance that the arrangement aligns with the Constitution and preserves national sovereignty.
