Nigeria’s lawmakers have approved an additional $200 million for the country’s health sector as part of the 2025 federal budget to mitigate the impact of a 90-day aid freeze from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The funding is aimed at bridging the gap created by the suspension of U.S. foreign aid, which had been a major source of financial support for health programs in Nigeria.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with over 200 million people, was among the top recipients of U.S. aid in 2023, particularly in the areas of disease control, malaria prevention, and HIV/AIDS treatment. The U.S. invested over $600 million in health assistance in Nigeria last year, which included funding for vaccination programs, disease prevention, and support for health interventions.
Senator Adeola Olamilekan, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, acknowledged the “adverse effects” the U.S. aid freeze could have on Nigeria’s healthcare efforts, particularly in tackling epidemics such as malaria and HIV/AIDS. He emphasized that the new $200 million allocation would help provide vaccines and treatment for epidemic diseases, ensuring continued progress in disease control.
The U.S. aid freeze, implemented under the Trump administration, has also had wider implications for Nigeria’s humanitarian efforts, especially in the conflict-ridden northeast. The region, devastated by an insurgency led by Islamic extremist group Boko Haram since 2009, has relied heavily on U.S. support for emergency response efforts. USAID has worked closely with the U.N. migration agency in Nigeria to support displaced persons, provide shelter, sanitation, and other essential services through its Rapid Response Fund.
The additional $200 million, part of Nigeria’s $36.6 billion federal budget, will not only strengthen health infrastructure but will also serve as a crucial resource to counter the shortfall from the U.S. aid suspension. While the freeze is temporary, it has highlighted the vulnerability of Nigerian health and humanitarian initiatives to shifts in global foreign aid policies.
As Nigeria braces for the continued challenges posed by the freeze, the government has stressed the importance of seeking alternative funding sources to maintain momentum in the fight against disease and to ensure the wellbeing of vulnerable populations, particularly in conflict-affected areas.
