The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on President Tinubu and the Federal Government to clearly explain the true terms of the health cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recently signed between Nigeria and the United States.
In a press statement dated January 18, 2026, the party said there are significant discrepancies between how Abuja and Washington have described the same agreement, warning that the differences raise concerns about transparency, discrimination, and national sovereignty.
In a statement signed by its spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the Nigerian government has presented the MoU as a broad and inclusive arrangement aimed at improving health security, expanding primary healthcare, and boosting domestic funding for the health sector. However, the party said official statements from the United States Embassy portray a different narrative.
The ADC claimed that the U.S. description introduces religious or identity-based language, suggesting that funding under the MoU may be directed only to health institutions linked to a particular religion. The party said this is troubling and could amount to a violation of Nigeria’s Constitution.
“It is the ADC’s 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 statement said.
The party also questioned why certain conditions referenced by the United States, including the power to unilaterally pause or terminate the agreement, were not reflected in the Nigerian government’s public explanation of the MoU.
The ADC argued that the matter goes beyond poor communication, saying the discrepancies appear deliberate and may be intended to avoid public scrutiny, thereby raising “fundamental questions about transparency, constitutional compliance, and Nigeria’s sovereignty.”
While emphasising it supports foreign aid and international cooperation in healthcare, the party insisted that such partnerships must respect Nigeria’s diversity and legal framework.
It cited Section 42(1) of the Constitution, which states: “No citizen of Nigeria shall be discriminated against on the grounds of place of origin, sex, religion, or political opinion.”
The ADC also expressed concern about the financial structure of the agreement, noting that the United States is expected to provide about two billion dollars over five years, while Nigeria is reportedly committing nearly three billion dollars 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 party said.
The ADC called on the Federal Government to publish the full MoU and clarify whether the identity-based elements mentioned by the United States are indeed part of the agreement signed by Nigeria, and how the deal aligns with constitutional provisions.
