The United State Agency for International Development (USAID) has added yet another development assistance of $26.5 million to Nigeria to support in achieving the development goals both governments outlined in the bilateral Development Objectives Assistance Agreement, signed 2015.
Of the new funding, $25 million is meant to strengthen good governance by supporting state governments’ efforts to bolster Nigeria’s Open Government Partnership commitments to improve transparency and fight corruption, while the additional $1.5 million will support a healthier, more educated population in targeted states through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
According to Acting Mission Director , USAID, Mr. Erin Holleran “U S believes that as the most populous country in Africa, with the largest economy on the continent, Nigeria holds tremendous influence over the future of Africa and USAID is committed to partnering with the government and the people of Nigeria to address its development challenges.”
He further said that USAID is also partnering with federal and state health Ministries to build stronger health systems with the aim of guaranteeing equitable access to quality healthcare services nationwide, adding that, “ USAID collaborated with Nigeria’s ministries of Budget and National Planning, Health, Agriculture, Power, and Education, as well as state-level government counterparts to structure the bilateral assistance agreement, which runs through 2020.”
However, this additional new funding, sums up a total of $1.1 billion of US government’s assistance to Nigeria under the five-year Development Objectives agreement.