Nigeria, United States Celebrate Two Decades of Military Health Collaboration

Senior officials from Nigeria and the United States gathered at the Abuja Continental Hotel today to mark the 20th anniversary of the longstanding partnership between the Nigerian Ministry of Defence Health Implementation Programme (NMODHIP) and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR).

The high-level event was attended by the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle; U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Richard Mills; Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa; Commanding General of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Major General Paula C. Lodi; and other key military and health leaders from both nations.

In his welcome address, Brigadier General IB Solebo, Director General of NMODHIP, highlighted the achievements of the collaboration. He noted that the partnership has strengthened Nigeria’s public and military health systems through expanded access to HIV care, groundbreaking research, establishment of world-class laboratories, and the training of thousands of health workers.

“This partnership is a testament to resilience, innovation, and impact—for soldiers, their families, and the wider community,” Solebo said.

Dr. Matawalle commended the successes recorded over the past two decades, emphasizing the vital role the partnership plays in supporting Nigeria’s defense, health, and national security sectors. He expressed appreciation to the U.S. government and reaffirmed Nigeria’s continued support.

Since its inception in 2005, the WRAIR–NMODHIP partnership has become a cornerstone of military health cooperation in Nigeria. Its work spans HIV programming through PEPFAR, malaria interventions under the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), biosafety and biosecurity efforts, and infectious disease research and surveillance.

To date, over 69,000 Nigerians have been initiated on antiretroviral therapy (ART), with more than 40,900 currently receiving treatment. HIV testing services have reached 1.6 million people, identifying over 110,000 positive cases. Among pregnant women, 277,975 have been tested, with over 13,000 placed on ART to prevent mother-to-child transmission.

The program has also bolstered Nigeria’s health infrastructure by upgrading more than 50 laboratories and training over 2,000 healthcare workers in HIV and TB management. In 2024, it commissioned a state-of-the-art TB Modular Laboratory at the Defence Reference Laboratory in Abuja—significantly enhancing diagnostic capacity and regional biosafety standards.

U.S. Ambassador Richard Mills praised the collaboration, saying: “This partnership is not just about science—it’s a testament to what we can achieve through unity and shared purpose.”

Closing the event, Helina Meri, WRAIR Africa Country Director in Nigeria, expressed gratitude for the leadership shown by both governments, adding that the partnership showcases the power of science and international cooperation in improving global health.

As the WRAIR–NMODHIP collaboration enters its third decade, both nations pledged to build on past achievements and prepare together for future health challenges.