Strengthen national and sub-national capacities to implement the International Health Regulations through local partners in Nigeria

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), operating under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is a premier federal agency focused on protecting public health and safety through the control and prevention of disease, injury, and disability. As part of its Global Health Center (GHC), CDC has issued a forecasted funding opportunity titled "Strengthen national and sub-national capacities to implement the International Health Regulations through local partners in Nigeria." This cooperative agreement aims to reinforce the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) of 2005 in Nigeria by strengthening the capacities of both national and sub-national institutions engaged in public health surveillance, response, and coordination. The program is particularly focused on supporting the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) along with relevant ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) of the Government of Nigeria. These bodies play vital roles in the country’s response to health emergencies. Nigeria’s completion of its second Joint External Evaluation (JEE) in 2023 indicated improvement from its first assessment in 2017, but significant systemic gaps remain. This funding opportunity is designed to support these entities in closing those gaps, reinforcing systems, and improving workforce management, with an emphasis on a multisectoral approach aligned with IHR. Importantly, the cooperative agreement seeks to expand impact beyond national efforts to include state-level ministries of health and local government authorities. Strengthening these sub-national public health institutions is seen as critical to improving early detection, reporting, and response to health threats at the community level. By supporting the implementation of the IHR at multiple levels of government, the CDC aims to bolster Nigeria’s resilience against public health emergencies and enhance its capacity to contribute to global health security efforts. This forecasted opportunity has an expected total program funding of $25 million, with up to three anticipated awards. There is no matching or cost-sharing requirement associated with this program. Applicants are expected to submit their applications electronically by May 3, 2026, no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Time. The estimated post date is March 2, 2026, with award decisions expected by August 31, 2026, and a project start date of September 30, 2026. The forecasted status suggests that detailed application instructions, including specific components and evaluation criteria, will be made available in the official NOFO upon release. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and includes a wide variety of organizational types such as state and local governments, tribal governments and organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, independent school districts, housing authorities, for-profit and nonprofit entities, and small businesses. While there is no further elaboration provided on eligibility details or pre-application requirements in the forecast, all applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov. Interested applicants should monitor the Grants.gov page for additional information and the official NOFO release. For additional information, applicants may contact Broderick Yoerg at 404.234.0666 or via email at DGHPNOFOs@cdc.gov. At present, no PDF guidelines have been linked, as this is a forecasted opportunity. Applicants are advised to check back closer to the estimated post date for official application materials, detailed submission instructions, and a potential list of frequently asked questions or pre-submission webinars.