ADC raises alarm over religious framing in US-Nigeria health MoU

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has asked the Nigerian government to clarify the contents of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on health cooperation signed with the United States.

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The opposition party cited what it said were conflicting public statements by both governments about the agreement.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that Nigeria and the United States signed the five-year MoU on 19 December 2025. In a statement released the next day, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare described it as a technical framework to strengthen health security, expand primary healthcare and increase domestic health financing.

The ministry said the MoU would enhance collaboration on disease surveillance, outbreak response, laboratory systems, frontline health workers, data systems and access to essential health commodities, while supporting Nigeria’s shift towards increased domestic health financing.

However, a statement issued on 21 December by the US Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria presented the agreement differently. The US statement said the MoU places a strong emphasis on Christian faith-based healthcare providers.

It also said the agreement was negotiated in connection with reforms to prioritise the protection of Christian populations from extremist violence.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, and dated 18 January, the ADC said the divergence raised serious concerns about transparency, constitutional compliance and Nigeria’s sovereignty.

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Conflicting framings

The ADC said while the federal government presented the MoU as “technical and inclusive,” the US description introduced “religious, identity-based framing,” indicating that spending under the agreement should be targeted at health institutions backed by a particular religion.

The party said the US Embassy’s statement explicitly noted that the MoU “places a strong emphasis on Christian faith-based healthcare providers” and provides “approximately $200 million in dedicated support” to Christian clinics and hospitals.

It said these elements were absent from the Nigerian government’s public explanation of the agreement.

The ADC’s concerns come amid heightened international attention to religious violence in Nigeria, especially from the US.

US President Donald Trump, in October 2025, designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), citing severe religious freedom violations and persecution, especially against Christians.

However, the Nigerian government has repeatedly rejected claims that violence in the country targets Christians only, describing the crisis as complex and driven by ethnic tensions, and a general security crisis that affects people of all faiths.

“It is our considered view that the Nigerian government should not enter into any agreement that is sectional or potentially inimical to Nigeria’s constitutional commitment to inclusion and national unity,” the ADC said.

Termination clauses, sovereignty concerns

The ADC also drew attention to the US statement’s reference to Washington’s right to pause or terminate programmes under the MoU if they no longer align with US national interests.

It said such conditionalities were “conspicuously missing” from the federal government’s account and questioned why they were not disclosed to Nigerians.

The party argued that the differences between the two accounts could not be dismissed as a communications issue.

However, it said the situation raised fundamental questions about which version of the MoU reflected the actual terms agreed to by both countries.

“Nigerians are entitled to know which version of this agreement reflects what was actually signed, and why such consequential differences exist between Abuja’s account and Washington’s,” the statement said.

Constitutional issues

While affirming its support for foreign assistance and bilateral cooperation to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system, the ADC said such partnerships must comply with constitutional provisions prohibiting discrimination.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 42(1) states: ‘No citizen of Nigeria shall be discriminated against on the grounds of place of origin, sex, religion, or political opinion,’” the party said.

It also cited Sections 15 and 17 of the Constitution, which impose a duty on the state to promote national integration and guarantee equality of rights and opportunities.

The ADC said any international agreement, or public framing of such an agreement, that introduces identity-based distinctions into the provision of public services raises “serious constitutional and national cohesion concerns.”

Funding imbalance

According to figures released by both governments, the United States is expected to provide nearly $2 billion in grant support over five years, while Nigeria has committed close to $3 billion in domestic health financing over the same period.

“It is difficult to justify an arrangement in which Nigeria bears the larger financial burden, yet decisions regarding target beneficiaries and the discretion to pause or terminate cooperation appear to rest outside the country,” the ADC said.

The ADC, therefore, called on the federal government to “come clean” by publishing the full text of the signed MoU, including any annexes or accompanying instruments.

It also asked the government to clearly explain whether the identity-based and security-linked elements referenced by the United States “form part of the agreement Nigeria actually signed or exist solely within foreign policy interpretations.”

“Nigerians deserve a clear explanation of how this agreement aligns with the Constitution and preserves Nigeria’s sovereign authority over its public policy choices,” the party said.