Trump’s USAID freeze must serve as a wake-up call for Africa

The Devastating Impact of Trump’s Aid Freeze on Africa

On January 20, 2024, former U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 90-day halt on foreign aid, a decision that sent shockwaves across the globe. The move directly affected funding distributed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which had allocated $12.1 billion to sub-Saharan Africa in 2023. This aid was critical for addressing some of the region’s most pressing challenges, including healthcare, food assistance, and security. However, the suspension of these funds has left millions of Africans facing an uncertain and alarming future.

The freeze has been particularly devastating for countries like South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria, which rely heavily on U.S. aid to support their health and social programs. In South Africa, for instance, USAID’s contributions to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) have been instrumental in combating HIV/AIDS, a disease that affects nearly 7.8 million South Africans—the highest number in the world. South Africa’s Health Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, revealed that PEPFAR provides approximately 17% of the country’s HIV/AIDS funding, totaling over $407 million. This aid supports life-saving programs and pays the salaries of more than 15,000 healthcare workers, including nurses, pharmacists, and directors. Without this funding, the entire HIV/AIDS response system in South Africa is now at risk of collapse.

South Africa’s Dependency on Foreign Aid: A Symptom of Deeper Issues

While the Trump administration’s decision to halt aid has exacerbated South Africa’s challenges, the crisis also highlights a more systemic problem: the country’s over-reliance on foreign assistance. As the most advanced and diversified economy in Africa, South Africa has the capacity to assume greater responsibility for its own development. However, widespread corruption and mismanagement within the government and healthcare system have hindered progress.

The Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital serves as a stark example of this mismanagement. In August 2024, the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) reported that corruption at the hospital had led to financial losses exceeding 3 billion rand ($177 million). Senior staff members were implicated in these illicit activities, which have left the hospital facing critical shortages of staff, equipment, and resources. This situation is far from unique. Across South Africa, billions of rand are lost annually to corruption and wasteful expenditure. In the 2023-24 financial year alone, the Gauteng provincial government incurred 9.879 billion rand ($587 million) in irregular spending.

The sheer scale of this mismanagement underscores the fact that the $7.5 billion in annual U.S. assistance to South Africa is dwarfed by the billions of dollars lost to corruption. By addressing these systemic issues, South Africa could significantly reduce its dependence on foreign aid and better protect its most vulnerable citizens.

Kenya’s Struggle with U.S. Aid Cuts and Corruption

The impact of Trump’s aid freeze is not limited to South Africa. In Kenya, the suspension of U.S. funding has placed the lives of thousands of HIV-positive orphans at risk. At the Nyumbani Children’s Home in Nairobi, which has relied on USAID and PEPFAR for over $16 million in funding since 1999, the loss of this support could mean the difference between life and death. The orphanage provides critical services to approximately 50,000 children through its rescue center and outreach programs, but without adequate funding, these programs are now in jeopardy.

However, like South Africa, Kenya’s challenges go beyond the U.S. aid freeze. Corruption remains a pervasive issue, costing the country an estimated 608 billion Kenyan shillings ($4.7 billion) annually—equivalent to 7.8% of its GDP. This corruption has left millions of Kenyans trapped in poverty, with 37.5% of the population experiencing multidimensional poverty, including inadequate access to healthcare, education, and basic living standards.

Instead of addressing these systemic issues, Kenyan leaders have often prioritized political gain over the welfare of their citizens. President William Ruto, who was ranked second in the 2024 Corrupt Person of the Year award by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), has done little to tackle corruption. His administration has instead been criticized for being bloated and ineffective. If Kenya is to truly overcome its challenges, its leaders must take decisive action against corruption and prioritize the needs of their people.

Nigeria’s Economic Potential and the Need for Self-Reliance

Nigeria, another major recipient of U.S. aid, offers a compelling case for African self-reliance. In 2023, the U.S. provided over $600 million in health aid to Nigeria, accounting for 21% of the country’s health budget. These funds were critical for initiatives such as malaria prevention, HIV eradication, and vaccine distribution. However, the Trump administration’s aid freeze has left Nigeria facing a significant shortfall, with the government approving $200 million in emergency funding to mitigate the impact in 2025.

Despite this challenge, Nigeria has the economic potential to reduce its reliance on foreign aid. The country loses an estimated $18 billion annually to corruption and financial misconduct, a trend that could worsen in the coming years. By 2030, corruption could cost Nigeria up to 37% of its GDP, according to a 2016 report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). This corruption has undermined governance effectiveness, reduced the tax base, and hindered the efficient distribution of government resources.

Nigeria’s recent #EndBadGovernance protests in 2024 highlight the growing demand for accountability and better leadership. If the country is to achieve true self-sufficiency, its leaders must prioritize progressive governance and address the root causes of corruption.

Breaking Free from Dependency: A Call to Action for Africa

The funding freeze imposed by the Trump administration has exposed a painful contradiction: African countries, despite their vast natural resources and economic potential, remain heavily reliant on foreign aid to address their socio-economic challenges. This dependency is unsustainable and undermines the continent’s ability to achieve true independence and self-reliance.

From Zimbabwe to Uganda and Tanzania, African nations must take full responsibility for their development. The cycle of ineffective governance, corruption, and reliance on Western aid must be broken. African leaders must prioritize clean governance, effective resource management, and the welfare of their citizens. Only then can the continent truly achieve the postcolonial success it aspires to.

The lives of everyday Africans should not depend on the whims of Western politicians or the benevolence of foreign aid. Africa has the resources, the talent, and the resilience to care for its own people. It is time for African leaders to step up and pave the way for a brighter, more self-sufficient future.