The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation have launched a joint investigation into the alleged diversion and mismanagement of funds provided under US government-supported programmes in Nigeria.
The agencies said they would strengthen cooperation, intelligence sharing and operational coordination in investigating alleged financial irregularities involving organisations that received funding under the programmes.
The development followed a meeting on Thursday when the Assistant Law Enforcement Attaché of the FBI, Marcus Maccain, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Acting Zonal Director of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, ACE I Bawa Usman Kaltungo.
Maccain said the visit was aimed at strengthening existing cooperation in investigating alleged financial irregularities involving organisations that received funds under programmes supported by the United States Agency for International Development, particularly HIV and tuberculosis interventions.
He said the investigation became necessary following the shutdown of some USAID programmes by the US Government in 2025.
According to him, the development raised questions about how funds remaining with some implementing organisations were managed after the programmes were discontinued.
Maccain said some organisations were suspected of mismanaging or allegedly diverting funds provided before the programmes were terminated.
“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,” he said.
Also speaking, a Special Agent with the Office of Inspector General, US Department of State, Jeremy Kennon, said the US and Nigerian governments had previously agreed to support the fight against HIV and tuberculosis.
He said both governments provided funding to organisations implementing the programmes, with some of the organisations establishing one-stop centres for HIV treatment.
Kennon, however, said subsequent reviews raised concerns about inflated budgets and other financial irregularities in Kano State and several other states.
He stressed that the concerns were not limited to Kano or Nigeria, saying similar issues had been identified in other parts of the world.
Kennon said the FBI wanted 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,” he said.
Responding, Kaltungo welcomed the delegation on behalf of EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, and described the relationship between Nigeria and the US as longstanding, particularly in law enforcement cooperation.
He assured the delegation that the EFCC would investigate allegations of diversion or mismanagement of USAID funds across the country and trace the funds to their ultimate beneficiaries.
Kaltungo said tracing the funds and identifying the beneficiaries would help investigators establish how the money was spent, whether it was used for the purposes for which it was provided and whether any portion was mismanaged or diverted after the cancellation of the programmes.
He said the investigation would cover all states where the affected organisations and programmes operated.
Kaltungo added that the EFCC would work with the FBI to follow the financial trail and establish the facts surrounding the alleged diversion of the funds.
The investigation is ongoing.
