The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have intensified collaboration to investigate the alleged USAID funds diversion and mismanagement involving organisations that received funding under United States-supported programmes in Nigeria.
The two law enforcement agencies reaffirmed their commitment to stronger intelligence sharing, strategic cooperation and joint operational efforts during a high-level meeting in Lagos on Thursday, September 10, 2026.
The engagement focused particularly on funds provided for programmes supporting HIV and tuberculosis interventions across Nigeria.
EFCC, FBI Deepen Investigation Into USAID Funds Diversion
The FBI delegation was led by Macus Maccain, Assistant Law Enforcement Attaché, who paid a courtesy visit to the office of the Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Assistant Commander of the EFCC (ACE I), Bawa Usman Kaltungo.
Speaking during the interactive session, Maccain said the visit was aimed at strengthening existing cooperation in investigating alleged financial irregularities involving organisations that had received funding through programmes supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
He said the investigation became necessary following the shutdown of some USAID programmes by the United States Government in 2025.
According to Maccain, the termination of the programmes triggered concerns about how funds that remained with implementing organisations were managed after the projects were discontinued.
Some organisations, he said, were suspected of mismanaging or allegedly diverting funds provided before the affected programmes were shut down.
“We are seeking stronger engagement with the EFCC to establish how the funds were managed and identify possible financial misconduct arising from the termination of the programmes,” Maccain said.
Also speaking, Jeremy Kennon, Special Agent with the Office of Inspector General, Department of State, said the United States and Nigerian governments had previously entered into agreements to support efforts against HIV and tuberculosis.
He explained that the US Department of State and the Nigerian Government provided funding to organisations responsible for implementing the programmes.
According to Kennon, some of the organisations established one-stop centres providing HIV treatment and related services.
However, subsequent reviews uncovered concerns over inflated budgets and other financial irregularities, particularly in Kano State and several other states.
Kennon stressed that the concerns were not restricted to Kano or Nigeria, noting that similar financial issues had been identified in other parts of the world.
The FBI official said the agency was interested in developing a stronger, long-term working relationship with the EFCC to investigate the alleged USAID funds diversion.
He also called for reciprocal information sharing between the American and Nigerian authorities to strengthen the investigation and uncover the movement of funds.
“We’ll like to work with the EFCC on this on a long-term basis, and we’ll be sharing information with you; not just getting information from you,” Kennon said.
The proposed cooperation could give investigators access to additional financial intelligence and information needed to establish how funds were handled after the termination of the affected programmes.
Responding, Kaltungo welcomed the FBI delegation on behalf of EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, and described Nigeria-US law enforcement cooperation as long-standing, particularly in the fight against financial crimes.
He assured the delegation that the EFCC would investigate allegations surrounding the diversion or mismanagement of USAID funds across Nigeria.
Kaltungo said investigators would trace the movement of the funds to their ultimate beneficiaries and determine how the money was utilised.
He explained that the financial trail would help investigators establish whether the funds were spent for their intended purposes or whether any portion was mismanaged or diverted after the programmes were cancelled.
Kaltungo further disclosed that the investigation would be coordinated and extended to all states where the affected organisations and programmes operated.
He said the EFCC would work closely with the FBI to follow the financial trail and establish the facts surrounding the alleged USAID funds diversion and mismanagement.
The joint effort marks a significant step in scrutinising the handling of funds provided under the affected US-supported programmes and could potentially uncover the beneficiaries, transactions and financial practices linked to the alleged irregularities.
The investigation is expected to rely on intelligence sharing and financial tracing by both agencies as they seek to determine whether funds were properly utilised or unlawfully diverted following the cancellation of the programmes.
