Nigeria has included $200 million in its 2025 budget to mitigate the impact of the USAID suspension, according to a Senate document seen by Reuters. This provision was included after various ministries and agencies requested additional funding, leading lawmakers to increase the national budget from an estimated N54.2 trillion to N59.77 trillion.
The allocated funds, equivalent to N300 billion, are intended for the procurement of vaccines and essential drugs to address public health concerns following the withdrawal of US support. The aid suspension, implemented through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has affected the supply of vaccines and treatments for malaria, polio, HIV, and tuberculosis in Nigeria.
The report from Nigeria’s National Assembly Joint Committee on Appropriations highlighted concerns over the potential negative impact of the aid suspension on millions of Nigerians who rely on these interventions. To proactively address this, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made provisions within the Service Wide Votes to cover the funding gap. The report further noted that similar challenges are being faced by other countries, such as Uganda, due to reduced US global health funding.
The budgetary adjustments come after the National Assembly passed the Appropriation Bill last Thursday, increasing estimates by N700 billion. Initially, President Tinubu had proposed a N49.7 trillion budget in December 2024, but he later submitted a request on February 5, 2025, to raise the estimate to N54.2 trillion. Following a detailed review, additional funds were allocated to several key government agencies.
Among the beneficiaries of the increased budgetary allocations are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), National Judicial Council (NJC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Department of State Services (DSS), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Armed Forces. However, the report did not specify the exact amounts allocated to each agency.
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Sources: Daily Trust, Reuters