A legal practitioner, Bernard Okpi, has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja challenging a health cooperation agreement between Nigeria and the United States over alleged violations of privacy, constitutional rights and transparency.
The case targets a Memorandum of Understanding signed in December 2025 between Nigeria and the United States, with the plaintiff arguing that provisions in the deal allow for the collection and transfer of sensitive health data of Nigerians, including medical records, genetic information and laboratory samples.
The suit names several defendants, including the President, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The plaintiff is seeking a declaration that the agreement is unconstitutional and an order suspending its implementation.
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The controversy has also been fuelled by concerns over the lack of full disclosure of the agreement’s contents, as well as questions around compliance with Nigeria’s National Health Act and Data Protection laws. The Federal Government has yet to publicly release the complete text of the agreement, which is expected to take effect on 1 April 2026.
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