From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja

United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Nigeria Mission Director, Stephen M. Haykin, has explained the role the U.S. government played in the events surrounding the 2015 general elections.

In this interview, Haykin said all of the assistance the United States provided Nigeria regarding the 2015 elections were provided under the aegis of USAID’s bilateral agreement with the federal government in a manner consistent with USAID’s global Political Party Assistance Policy.

USAID is the lead United States’ government agency that works to end extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic societies to realize their potential. What is the idea underneath your various developmental engagements in Nigeria?

As the most populous country in Africa, Nigeria has significant influence on the continent as a whole.  Its tremendous human capital gives Nigeria the potential to emerge as a strong force for economic and political development and regional stability and security. At the same time, Nigeria faces major challenges as it seeks to move away from an oil-based economy, improve its health indicators and stabilize the northeast which is still struggling after nearly a decade of extremist violence.  USAID works to address these challenges by broadening inclusive growth; promoting a healthier, more educated population; and strengthening good governance.  USAID also is the largest bilateral donor providing humanitarian aid to North-East Nigeria.  As Nigeria goes, so does Africa.  That’s why Nigeria is very important to the U.S. government.

How many people has the United States government led out of poverty around the world?

USAID has provided foreign assistance to the world since its foundation in 1961, and currently assists the development of about 100 countries.  In partnership with host governments, we have been one of the world’s leading development actors since the Agency’s inception.  Between 1990 and 2011, global extreme poverty, people living on less than $1.25 per day fell by 60 percent.  A child born today is twice as likely to reach adulthood, is 40 percent less likely to be malnourished, and 16 percent more likely to finish primary school.  The USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance has provided humanitarian assistance to approximately 350 million people in response to about 70 disasters around the world each year.  Power Africa has leveraged $20 billion on the continent for new energy projects.  The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief or PEPFAR, has provided11.4 million people with lifesaving treatment to control HIV and AIDS.  Globally, malaria has gone down 47 percent since 2001, averting more than four million malaria related deaths; many of those deaths are among children under five.

Are you satisfied with the response of your host government, most importantly, the diverse people your programmes directly touch?

USAID generally works in partnership with host governments, in Nigeria and across the world.  The government of Nigeria faces many challenges that include the downturn of the oil sector, climate change, and the impact of violent extremism, all of which hinder its ability to deliver quality services to the people.  We work in response to needs expressed by government, civil society and partners and collaborate on strategic approaches to meet common goals.

What criteria do you use in choosing areas of attention? Are they as a result of the needs of the people?

USAID/Nigeria’s activities are designed in collaboration with Nigeria’s federal and state governments based on needs and our shared goals. In a country as large as Nigeria, it is particularly important to prioritize intervention areas that we assess will have the biggest effect on the lives of as many people at a time, while working to support the sustainability of those efforts. We also focus on engaging reform-minded officials and states that prioritize shared development goals.

What benefit does the United States government get in return for spending huge sums of money developing the outside world?

Related News

Foreign assistance has been in the news a lot lately.  At his June confirmation hearing, the new USAID Administrator, Mark A. Green, testified ‘I believe that USAID is an asset to our national security and the global face of American generosity’ and that ‘strategic investments in development make America safer and more prosperous.’  In a newspaper editorial last month, business magnate, Bill Gates agreed, adding that ‘no country can succeed or remain healthy without the cooperation and assistance of others.’  We at USAID work for a world where everyone can live their lives in a secure and stable environment, in a world free from poverty and violence. Lack of hope in the future breeds violent extremism, so we are working to restore hope around the world. Americans want to see a world where people have the opportunity to pursue their dreams to the best of their ability, for their own benefit and that of their country.

What specific role did USAID play in the events surrounding the 2015 general elections in Nigeria?

In 2015, USAID provided Nigeria with similar assistance that we provide many countries around the world that are holding elections.  Our assistance improves the quality of the electoral processes so that citizens know their rights and responsibilities, understand the voting process, and can participate in fair elections, free of intimidation and manipulation.  In 2015, we responded to requests for assistance to provide technical assistance and training to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials and staff to help them improve the quality of election administration and voter education.  We also supported civil society organizations to conduct voter education and election monitoring activities, and help political parties develop more issue-based platforms and reach out to constituents.

Would you say that the United States Government acted within its rules of engagement?

All of the assistance I mentioned was provided under the aegis of USAID’s bilateral agreement with the Federal Government of Nigeria in a manner consistent with USAID’s global Political Party Assistance Policy.

Of all your developmental efforts in Nigeria, which are you most satisfied with?

Nigeria has the world’s highest incidence of malaria, which kills more children than any other disease in this country.  Under the President’s Malaria Initiative, we’ve helped Nigeria reduce the rate of infection by 36 percent among children under five since 2014.  USAID distributed 22 million mosquito bed nets, 14 million malaria rapid diagnostic test kits, and treated nearly 50 million malaria cases.  Our health interventions have strongly contributed to a drop in the overall mortality rate for children under five, by 18 percent, and a rise in immunizations by 22 million. 

We are also satisfied with our Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) work across the country. We provided lifesaving treatment to 700,000 patients and provided support services for a million AIDS orphans.  Forty thousand cases of tuberculosis have been diagnosed with our support.  Education is another area we can point to, particularly in Sokoto and Bauchi states.  In the north, we helped 27,000 children enter the formal education system.  We have provided seeds, tools, fertilizers, and training to more than 800,000 farmers, and have had success in assisting several power distribution companies on improving electrical services in important areas for business.  In providing humanitarian services in the North-East, we have partnered with Nigeria and other actors to successfully keep a major famine or epidemics at bay over a prolonged period of time.

What new areas are you looking into?

We know that the Nigerian Government is committed to diversifying revenue sources away from oil, and there is potential for agriculture to become a more robust driver of the country’s economy.  Although this is not a new area of intervention for USAID, through our agriculture and food security program, we help increase agricultural productivity and assist small business development access finance and navigate government regulations. Agriculture interventions can improve the capacity of farmers and increase productivity, especially in the North-East where people are gradually returning to their lives disrupted by the Boko Haram insurgency.  Additionally, with a population of an estimated 186 million people that is growing at 2.6 percent annually, Nigeria must accelerate its economic growth just to continue to stay at its current level, let alone expand the economy. Nigeria has some 37 million registered Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) that employ nearly 60 million people, or about 84 percent of the total labour force.  Collectively, MSMEs contribute about 48 percent of the country’s GDP. USAID is committed to helping Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises scale their operations and become a more dynamic part of the Nigerian economy by supporting policy and regulatory change, access to finance and a private sector engagement strategy, as well as access to renewable energy.

What is the financial sum of the United States Government’s engagement in the northeast of Nigeria since the Boko Haram crisis erupted?

Since 2016, the U.S. government has provided more than $640 million in humanitarian assistance to 8.5 million people in need of assistance in the Lake Chad Basin, mostly in Nigeria and principally administered by USAID.  The United States has been the largest bilateral donor to the humanitarian response in the Lake Chad Basin.  USAID’s Food for Peace programme provides food aid and basic commodities.  We also provide voucher assistance to keep commerce flowing, provide cash for work, promote nutrition programmes for children, and help improve water and sanitation.  USAID supports psychological and social counselling for victims of trauma, non-formal education for displaced kids.