Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has called on the Federal Government to publish the full details of Nigeria’s health agreement with the United States, saying Nigerians deserve to know the terms of the deal.
Atiku’s demand followed comments by Ghanaian President John Mahama that his country rejected a proposed health compact over concerns relating to medical records, pathogen information, funding obligations and the inspection of imported medicines.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku questioned whether the provisions reportedly rejected by Ghana were contained in the agreement signed by Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu.
He said the Federal Government should make public the complete agreement, including related protocols, annexes, data-sharing arrangements, specimen-sharing provisions and financial commitments.
Nigeria signed a five-year health Memorandum of Understanding with the United States on December 19, 2025. The Federal Ministry of Health said the agreement covers areas including disease surveillance, health data systems and procedures relating to pathogen samples.
Under the arrangement, the United States is expected to provide nearly $2bn in grants, while Nigeria has made health spending commitments projected to mobilise almost $3bn over five years.
Atiku, however, questioned the ability of the government to meet the financial obligations against the backdrop of the country’s healthcare challenges and the alleged shortfall in funding for approved health projects.
He cited maternal mortality figures, saying internationally comparable estimates put Nigeria’s maternal deaths at about 75,000 in 2023, the highest total recorded globally.
The ADC presidential candidate said the figure underscored the need for the government to demonstrate how its policies and international partnerships were improving healthcare delivery and reducing preventable deaths.
He also referred to comments by the Minister of Health, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, during a budget defence before lawmakers, that only N36m had been released from the N218bn appropriated for capital projects and programmes at the ministry’s headquarters in 2025.
Atiku said the government should explain how it intended to fulfil multibillion-dollar health commitments if approved domestic healthcare projects were struggling to receive funding.
He further raised questions about the handling of Nigerians’ medical information and biological samples under the agreement, asking whether such data or pathogen samples could be transferred outside the country and who would have access to them.
The former Vice President also sought clarification on the safeguards protecting patients’ information and whether the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control would retain full authority to inspect medicines and other medical products entering the country.
Atiku said Nigeria should welcome international partnerships capable of improving healthcare but insisted that such cooperation must be accompanied by transparency over the obligations accepted by the government.
He also called for disclosure of other international commitments entered into by the administration, including its expanding partnership with France.
Atiku said the government had a responsibility to explain the agreement to Nigerians, arguing that the country’s sovereignty and public interest should not be treated as confidential matters.
