The Nigerian Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, has called for a gradual end to Nigeria’s dependence on foreign aid in funding its response to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, as the House of Representatives began an investigative hearing into over $4.6 billion in grants received from the Global Fund and USAID between 2021 and 2025.
The Minister made the disclosure at the Public Hearing by the House of Representatives Committee on Infectious Diseases which commenced a probe of the utilization of a total of $4.6billion grant from Global Fund and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in the country between 2021-2025.
Dr Pate said that Nigeria must take greater responsibility for financing its health priorities as donor funding declines after two decades of support.
He described the probe as a welcome step toward transparency, accountability and domestic ownership of health programmes.
He noted that while donor assistance has saved millions of lives through HIV, TB and malaria interventions, Nigeria’s health spending remains below 15% of the Abuja Declaration target, warning that underfunding threatens sustainability.
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While declaring the session open, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Abbas Tajudeen said the investigation reflects the parliament’s resolve to ensure transparency in health funding.
He noted that it would produce an evidence-based report on how the grants were received, utilized and their impact on public health, while strengthening accountability and governance in the sector.
Proper utilisation of funds
The chairman House Committee on Infectious Diseases, Mr. Amobi Ogah said the parliament is committed to ensuring that grants received to combat infectious diseases are properly utilized.
Mr. Ogah noted that the panel would partner with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission ( ICPC) to ensure that all grants received by the country are duly accounted for.
He stated that while the country bears a great burden of HIV, Tuberculosis, Malaria and other infectious diseases, there seems to be no reprieve for citizens, despite budgetary allocations and donor funds.
“Nigeria continues to be battered by the ill effects of a greater burden of HIV, Tuberculosis, Malaria and other numerous infectious diseases, and it appears while budgetary allocations and donor funds are mobilized for the response against these health challenges, there is no reprieve in sight for the Nation, as Nigerians are ravaged daily by HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
“It is within this context, that it becomes necessary to ascertain what has been done with the huge grants received by Nigeria from Global Fund and USAID for the response against these diseases from 2021 to date. We are aware that the grants received from international partners and donor agencies before now form 90% of the country’s intervention and investments in the response against these diseases.
“This investigative hearing is expected to ascertain what has been received by Nigeria and what has been done with the grants since 2021 with a view to assuring Nigerians, who we represent as Parliamentarians that anyone, whether state or non state actors must indeed account for every Nigerian kobo, and I mean every kobo spent for the response against public health threats”Mr. Ogah said.
“The House Committee on Infectious Diseases is going to partner with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission to ensure that principal recipients and implementing partners of all grants received for Nigeria are made to account to Nigerians.
“This is even more critical when you consider that some funding for terrorist activities has been traced to grants and donor funds” he said.
He urged implementing partners to prepare for robust parliamentary oversight, noting that some lacked proper or verifiable office addresses.