The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced additional development assistance of $136.5 million (about N52 billion) to support Nigeria.

Development Diaries understands that this assistance is under a bilateral Development Objectives Assistance Agreement (DOAG) with the United States which was signed in 2015.

Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbanjo, had signed the bilateral DOAG agreement in 2015 to enable Africa’s most populous nation to achieve sustained market-driven growth to reduce poverty.

The USAID, it was gathered, provided the additional funding to combat trafficking in persons, mitigate conflict, peace, and counter violent extremism, as well as control and prevention of HIV/AIDS.

‘USAID recently announced an additional development assistance of $136.5 million (NGN 52 billion) to continue its support to Nigeria under a bilateral Development Objectives Assistance Agreement (DOAG) with the United States signed in 2015’, it said in a statement.

‘With this most recent notification to the government of the incremental funding increase, USAID has provided Nigeria $1.94 billion (N743 billion) in assistance under the seven-year DOAG.

‘Most of the assistance, nearly $133.5 million, will go to HIV/AIDS control under several new and existing awards that focus on prevention and treatment in some of the most vulnerable areas of the country.

‘Another $3 million boosts activities to combat trafficking in persons, mitigate conflict, peace, and counter violent extremism, and $219,566 will expand USAID’s efforts to increase access to potable water and reduce water-borne diseases in Nigeria’.

Source: THISDAY

Photo source: Femi Adesina