There are strong indications that all structures of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) will be formally closed down in Nigeria on Friday 7 February 2025 while all human resources and employees associated with the program quit the country with immediate effect.
This is coming in the wake of the executive order by the recently sworn-in President of the United States, Donald Trump who stopped all foreign aid to African countries and other countries across the world.
Nigeria is 6th among the top countries that are the highest beneficiaries of USAID. Reports say in 2023 alone, the most populated African nation, Nigeria received $1.02 billion, much of it through agencies like USAID.
It was exclusively gathered Thursday night that top officials of the Federal Ministry of Health were in a marathon meeting to discuss the fate of various intervention programs of the USAID which have been seriously hampered by the unexpected action of President Trump.
The Nigerian health sector will never be the same again,” an official of the Ministry who preferred anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the sensitive issue said.
“The stoppage of USAID’s intervention in the area of primary healthcare services will leave a vacuum that we don’t know how this country will be able to manage. The intervention in tuberculosis, HIV-AIDS, Malaria, Polio and others has been stopped.
“USAID in whatever capacity they are holding leaving Nigeria on Friday. This is official; USAID is officially shutting down on Friday,” the official said.
Apart from the health sector, other areas in which USAID has been helping Nigeria include the environment, good governance, renewable energy, gender equality, conflict-affected areas in the north and importantly agriculture.
It was gathered that with the exit of USAID intervention, Nigeria, with her vast human and natural resources, is now forced to look to Qatar, Japan and Canada for donations to take care of these critical sectors.
