The United States has disbursed $187.35 million in foreign assistance to Nigeria so far in 2026, making Africa’s largest economy one of the leading beneficiaries of American support in sub-Saharan Africa.

According to updated figures published on May 20, 2026, under the US Department of State’s Foreign Assistance report, Nigeria ranked second among recipients in the region, behind Ethiopia.

The data showed that the bulk of the funding, amounting to $186.7 million, was channelled through the United States Agency for International Development, highlighting the agency’s key role in implementing development and humanitarian programmes in Nigeria.

Other disbursements included $370,210 from the US Department of State and $240,146 from the Department of Defence. Additional contributions came from the Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture and Department of Transportation.

Several American agencies, including the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of the Treasury, recorded no disbursements to Nigeria during the period under review.

The latest aid figures come amid increasing scrutiny in Washington over the utilisation of US assistance to Nigeria, particularly concerning insecurity and human rights issues.

Last month, the US House Appropriations Committee advanced provisions in the proposed 2027 appropriations bill that could reshape future American assistance to Nigeria.

Under the proposal, up to half of future US aid to Nigeria could be withheld pending certification by the US Secretary of State that the Nigerian government is taking concrete steps to improve security, protect vulnerable communities and prosecute perpetrators of violence.

The proposed legislation also introduces cost-sharing measures and ties future disbursements to measurable progress in counterterrorism operations, humanitarian response and human rights protections.

Although the bill is yet to be passed into law, it reflects growing concerns among American lawmakers over persistent violence and insecurity in Nigeria.

The Nigerian government has consistently rejected allegations of targeted religious persecution, insisting that insecurity affects all regions and faith groups while reaffirming its commitment to security reforms and cooperation with the United States.