In a statement issued on Sunday, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party supports foreign aid and bilateral partnerships aimed at improving Nigeria’s healthcare system
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has asked the Federal Government to clarify the terms of the Nigeria–United States health cooperation agreement, warning that provisions allegedly favouring Christian-based healthcare providers could violate the Constitution, weaken transparency, and undermine national sovereignty.
In a statement issued on Sunday, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party supports foreign aid and bilateral partnerships aimed at improving Nigeria’s healthcare system.
He, however, stressed that such agreements must respect Nigeria’s religious diversity and comply strictly with constitutional provisions against discrimination.
The party recalled that on December 19, the United States signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with Nigeria on health cooperation, valued at $5.1bn.
According to available details, the agreement is meant to advance the America First Global Health Strategy by strengthening resilient, self-sustaining and accountable health systems through shared responsibility.
The ADC noted that documents associated with the MoU suggest a significant emphasis on Christian faith-based healthcare providers, acknowledging their role in delivering services to underserved communities.
Under the arrangement, about $200m is reportedly allocated to support 900 Christian clinics and hospitals, enhance workforce capacity, and expand access to integrated services for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and maternal and child healthcare.
Reacting to this, the party warned that the Federal Government must avoid entering into agreements that could be divisive or contradict Nigeria’s constitutional principles of inclusion and national unity.
While Abuja has described the MoU as a technical and inclusive framework to strengthen health security, expand primary healthcare, and increase domestic health financing, the ADC said official U.S. statements portray the same agreement differently.
According to the party, the U.S. framing introduces religious and identity-based conditions, implying that funding may be restricted to health institutions linked to a particular faith.
“The ADC believes this divergence is not merely a communications issue; it appears calculated to avoid public scrutiny, raising serious questions about transparency, constitutional compliance, and Nigeria’s sovereignty,” the statement said.
The party argued that Nigerians deserve to know which version of the agreement reflects the actual terms signed, and why there is a discrepancy between the accounts from Abuja and Washington.
Reaffirming its support for foreign assistance, the ADC insisted that all partnerships must comply with constitutional provisions that prohibit discrimination based on religion or ethnicity.
It cited Section 42(1) of the Constitution, which forbids discrimination on the grounds of origin, sex, religion, or political opinion.
Sections 15 and 17, the party added, place an obligation on the state to promote national integration, eliminate discrimination, and guarantee equality of rights and opportunities.
The ADC further questioned the financial structure of the agreement, noting that while the United States is expected to provide about $2bn in grants over five years, Nigeria is reportedly committing close to $3bn in domestic health financing.
“It is difficult to justify an arrangement in which Nigeria bears the larger financial burden, yet key decisions on beneficiaries and the discretion to pause or terminate cooperation appear to lie outside the country,” the party said.
The ADC emphasised that healthcare is a core public good that must remain neutral, inclusive and universally accessible.
It warned that introducing identity considerations into health financing or security-linked performance assessments could politicise care delivery, erode public trust, and expose vulnerable institutions and workers to risk.
The party therefore called on the Federal Government to publish the full text of the signed MoU, including all annexes and accompanying instruments.
It also urged the government to clarify whether the identity-based and security-linked elements referenced by the United States are part of the agreement Nigeria actually signed.
According to the ADC, Nigerians are entitled to a clear explanation of how the deal aligns with the Constitution and safeguards the country’s sovereign authority over public policy decisions.
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