Amid the shockwaves caused by the abrupt exit of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, has reassured citizens that the nation is prepared to stand on its own when it comes to healthcare.
Pate’s words come as a beacon of resilience following former U.S. President Donald Trump’s directive to shut down USAID, a move that has left many African nations scrambling to fill funding gaps.
For years, USAID has played a crucial role in Nigeria’s healthcare system, providing support for over 1.3 million people receiving antiretroviral therapies, as well as programs tackling tuberculosis, malaria, and maternal and child health. The agency’s withdrawal has left many wondering: can Nigeria truly sustain its healthcare needs without foreign aid?
Pate insists the answer is yes. Speaking on Channels Television’s Hard Copy on Friday night, he struck a tone of gratitude rather than despair. “So for us, we are not complaining. We are full of appreciation to the US government for the contributions they have made,” he said.
“The American people have played a significant role in helping us care for our people. But at the end of the day, we are responsible for our own population’s health.”
His statement signals a clear shift in Nigeria’s approach—one that moves away from dependency on international aid towards self-sufficiency. “We may be a poor country, but we are a capable country,” Pate asserted. “We are determined to own up to that responsibility. If others step in and support us, we appreciate it, but we are not begging for it.”
While concerns linger about how Nigeria will bridge the funding gap left by USAID’s departure, the minister maintains that steps have already been taken to bolster domestic resources. “Our approach, long before the change in U.S. policy, has been towards increasing national ownership, improving our healthcare value chain, and producing what we use,” he explained.
“We are strengthening our resilience through surveillance and laboratory systems to combat infectious diseases.”
His remarks buttress the federal government’s commitment to ensuring that, even in the absence of external support, Nigerian citizens will receive the healthcare they need. But in a country where public health funding has long relied on international donors, the true test lies in the government’s ability to turn rhetoric into action.