The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have agreed to deepen cooperation in investigating the alleged diversion and mismanagement of funds provided under United States government-supported programmes in Nigeria.
The agreement was reached on Thursday, September 10, 2026, when Marcus Maccain, Assistant Law Enforcement Attaché of the FBI, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE I Bawa Usman Kaltungo.
Maccain said the engagement was focused on alleged financial irregularities involving organisations that received funds under programmes supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), particularly HIV and tuberculosis interventions.
He said the investigation followed the shutdown of some USAID programmes by the United States Government in 2025, which raised concerns over funds left with implementing organisations after the programmes were discontinued.
According to him, some of the organisations were suspected of mismanaging or diverting funds allocated to them before the termination of the programmes.
“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, a Special Agent with the Office of Inspector General, Department of State, said the United States and Nigerian governments had previously entered into an agreement to support HIV and tuberculosis interventions in Nigeria.
Kennon said funds were provided to organisations implementing the programmes, some of which established one-stop centres for HIV treatment.
He, however, said subsequent reviews uncovered concerns over inflated budgets and other financial irregularities in Kano State and several other states.
Kennon stressed that the concerns were not limited to Kano or Nigeria, noting that similar issues had been identified in other parts of the world.
He said the FBI was seeking to establish a long-term working relationship with the EFCC, including reciprocal information sharing.
“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.
Responding, Kaltungo welcomed the delegation on behalf of EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede and described Nigeria’s relationship with the United States as a long-standing one, particularly in law enforcement cooperation.
He assured the delegation that the EFCC would investigate allegations surrounding the diversion and mismanagement of USAID funds and trace the movement of the money to its ultimate beneficiaries.
Kaltungo said the exercise would help investigators determine how the funds were spent, whether they were used for their intended purposes and whether any portion was mismanaged or diverted following the cancellation of the programmes.
He added that the investigation would cover all states where the affected organisations and programmes operated, with the EFCC working with the FBI to follow the financial trail and establish the facts surrounding the alleged diversion.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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