Recent data released by the United States Department of State has revealed that the U.S aid to Nigeria soared to $1.3bn between 2024 and 2025.
This comes as lawmakers of the United States are seeking stricter oversight in the disbursement of aid to Nigeria over alleged religious persecution..
A breakdown of the figures, published under the “U.S Foreign Assistance” report, shows that Nigeria received a total of $1,385,151,397 across the two years. Of this, $879.1 million was disbursed in 2024, while $646.4 million followed in 2025.
The $1.3bn U.S aid to Nigeria places the country among the top recipients of aid in sub-Saharan Africa, ranking fifth in the region.
Further breakdown of the 2024 disbursement indicates that the bulk of the funding was channelled through the U.S Agency for International Development, which accounted for $738.7 million. Other significant contributions came from the Department of Health and Human Services with $112.1 million and the Department of State with $19.9 million.
Additional allocations were spread across several agencies, including the Trade and Development Agency and the African Development Foundation, while smaller sums were disbursed through departments such as Treasury, Agriculture, and Defence. Several U.S agencies, however, recorded no financial disbursement to Nigeria during the year.
In 2025, total assistance declined to $646.4 million, though USAID again dominated the funding landscape with $597.6 million. The Department of Health and Human Services contributed $33.3 million, while the Department of State disbursed $12.1 million. Other agencies made relatively modest contributions, mirroring the pattern observed in the previous year.
Despite the continued flow of funds, the disclosure comes at a time of heightened debate in Washington over the future of US assistance to Nigeria.
The revelation comes as lawmakers in the U.S House Appropriations Committee have already advanced proposals that could significantly tighten conditions attached to future aid.
Under the proposed 2027 appropriations framework, up to 50 per cent of U.S assistance to Nigeria could be withheld unless the Secretary of State certifies that the Nigerian government is making measurable progress in tackling insecurity, protecting vulnerable populations, and ensuring accountability for acts of violence.
The bill also seeks to introduce stricter oversight mechanisms, cost-sharing requirements, and performance-based benchmarks tied to counterterrorism efforts, human rights compliance, and humanitarian outcomes.
The move reflects growing concern among U.S policymakers over persistent security challenges in Nigeria, including violent attacks in parts of the country that have drawn international attention.
However, Nigerian authorities have consistently rejected claims of religious persecution, insisting that insecurity affects citizens across religious and ethnic lines. The Federal Government has also reiterated its commitment to ongoing collaboration with the United States on security sector reforms and stabilisation efforts.
