By Opeyemi Adelakun
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has urged the Federal Government to make public the full details of Nigeria’s health agreement with the United States.
The call came after Ghanaian President John Mahama disclosed that Ghana had rejected a proposed health compact with Washington over concerns involving medical records, pathogen information, funding obligations and the inspection of imported medicines.
Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, made the demand in a statement signed by Phrank Shaibu, his campaign council’s Director of Strategic Communication.
Nigeria entered into a five-year health memorandum of understanding with the United States on December 19, 2025.
According to the Federal Ministry of Health, the agreement focuses on disease surveillance, health data systems and procedures involving pathogen samples.
The United States is expected to provide nearly $2 billion in grants, while Nigeria’s own health spending commitments under the arrangement are projected to mobilise about $3 billion over five years.
Atiku said the Nigerian public should be able to establish whether the issues that influenced Ghana’s decision were also addressed in Nigeria’s agreement.
“That is precisely why the government must publish the full text. Nigerians should not have to guess what has been agreed in their name,” he said.
He further questioned the government’s ability to meet its financial obligations, pointing to the funding challenges facing the health sector.
Atiku cited remarks attributed to Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Ali Pate during his 2025 budget defence before lawmakers. Pate had reportedly said that only N36 million had been released from the N218 billion appropriated for capital projects and programmes at the ministry’s headquarters at the time.
“A government that cannot release funds for approved health projects must explain how it intends to honour a multibillion-dollar commitment,” Atiku said.
The ADC candidate also linked the issue to Nigeria’s maternal health challenges, saying international agreements should ultimately produce tangible improvements in healthcare delivery.
“Every one of those deaths represents a woman whose family expected her to come home,” he said.
Atiku called for the publication of the complete agreement and associated protocols, annexes, data-sharing arrangements, specimen-sharing agreements and financial undertakings.
He said Nigeria’s engagement with international partners should continue where it can strengthen healthcare but maintained that the government must be transparent about the commitments it makes on behalf of the country.
“The same duty of disclosure applies to the administration’s other international commitments, including its expanding partnership with France,” he said.
“Ghana examined the proposal before it and said no. Nigeria has already signed. Tinubu must now tell Nigerians exactly what he said yes to. Nigeria’s sovereignty is not classified information.”
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