The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced an additional $168.5 million in development assistance to Nigeria for goals outlined in a 2015 bilateral agreement between both governments.
Most of the new funding, more than $115 million, will finance new and existing activities to improve public health in Nigeria, including $40 million for maternal and child health, $28 million to control malaria, as well as significant boosts in family planning, tuberculosis control, nutrition, and pandemic relief.
Another $32 million will go to economic growth, including $19 million to help Nigeria increase agricultural productivity and access to nutritious foods, $10.5 million for cleaner water, and $2 million to facilitate trade and investment.
An additional $15.5 million in basic education funds will expand states’ abilities to provide early-grade reading programmes and alternative education opportunities for out-of-school children and youths. It will also tackle marginalization and educational needs of Nigeria’s hearing-impaired community.
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The last part of the fund, $6 million will go towards new activities to strengthen human rights, civil society organizations, political competition and consensus building, and reducing trafficking in persons.
This funding raises the total US assistance to Nigeria to $2.16 billion under the five-year Development Objectives Assistance Agreement (DOAG) signed between USAID and Nigeria’s Ministry of Finance.
“With this notification, the United States deepens its commitment to Nigeria in meeting its development challenges,” said USAID Acting Mission Director Katie Donohoe, in a statement released by the US Consulate.
“We will continue to support improved health, nutrition, economic growth, good governance, and human rights.”
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