By Abiola Olawale (The New Diplomat’s Southwest Bureau)
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), on Monday, announced an additional development assistance of $168.5 million (N63.8bn) to Nigeria.
This was disclosed in a press release of the agency, on Monday.
According to the statement, the additional $168.5 million is to support the goals outlined in a 2015 bilateral agreement between the U.S. government and the Nigerian government.
According to Monday’s official exchange rate, the development assistance fund is equivalent to N63.8 billion.
The latest funding increases the total U.S. assistance to the Nigerian people to $2.16 billion under the five-year Development Objectives Assistance Agreement (DOAG) signed in 2015.
Katie Donohoe, Acting Mission Director, USAID, in the statement further said the agency is committed to supporting the Nigerian government.
The statement reads, “With this notification, the United States deepens its commitment to Nigeria in meeting its development challenges. We will continue to support improved health, nutrition, economic growth, good governance, and human rights.”
The USAID also noted that about $115 million of the new development assistance funds would finance new and existing activities to improve public health in Nigeria.
Additionally, the agency noted that about $40 million would be allocated to maternal and child health, while about $28 million will be dedicated to the fight against malaria, as well as ensure significant boosts in family planning, tuberculosis control, nutrition, and pandemic relief.
According to the agency, $32 million would be pumped into the economy, including $19 million to help Nigeria increase agricultural productivity and access to nutritious foods, while $10.5 million for cleaner water, and $2 million to facilitate trade and investment.
The agency also disclosed that an additional $15.5 million will be allocated for basic education development, adding that the funds would help the Nigerian government provide early grade reading programmes and alternative education opportunities for out-of-school children and youth while addressing the marginalisation and educational needs of Nigeria’s hearing-impaired community.
