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Siphoning Millions Through Intelligence Budget Lines

  • Writer: Michael T
    Michael T
  • Jun 2
  • 3 min read

L-R, Finance Minister Ngafuan, CBL Governor Samoa, & President Boakai
L-R, Finance Minister Ngafuan, CBL Governor Samoa, & President Boakai


An astronomical leap in intelligence-related budget lines across multiple security agencies in Liberia’s 2025 budget has raised a red flag. While overall government spending and recurrent expenditures have grown, it is the explosive percentage increases in intelligence allocations—not simply the total budgets of the NSA, police, or immigration—that are ringing alarm bells about corruption, money laundering, and the collapse of oversight.


Police intelligence funding has jumped from $92,000 in 2023 to $720,000 in 2025, a 683% increase. Immigration intelligence has risen from $260,000 to $768,000, marking a 195% increase. The National Security Agency’s (NSA) special operations intelligence line has more than doubled, from $4.7 million to $10.3 million, a 119% jump. There is also a new or sharply increased $500,000 allocation for “National Security” under the Ministry of Justice[4].


The NSA’s total budget for 2025 stands at $14.98 million, more than the combined allocation for all community colleges in Liberia, which is $9.72 million[4]. The security and rule of law sector as a whole receives $120.8 million, but intelligence lines are growing far faster than the sector average. Recurrent expenditures—salaries, benefits, travel, entertainment—consume 88% of the national budget, leaving only 12% for public investment in infrastructure, health, and education[1][5].


Despite these vast increases, the lives of ordinary security officers remain unchanged. Many police and immigration officers continue to work in poor conditions, with low pay and inadequate facilities. For the first time, police officers will receive insurance coverage in 2025, fulfilling a decade-old legal requirement, but this improvement is modest compared to the scale of intelligence spending[5].


In 2024, the NSA overspent its budget by $1.5 million, and the government as a whole spent $13.3 million off-budget, violating transparency laws and raising questions about the integrity of public financial management[2]. Millions have been spent on “covert operations” and “unexplained miscellaneous” expenses, with no public accounting or legislative oversight. This pattern of off-budget expenditures is not new; previous years saw similar financial irregularities, and promised investigations by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) have yet to yield public findings[2].


Since 2010, over $151 million has been funneled to the NSA, with civil society and lawmakers repeatedly warning that the agency has become a conduit for state plunder and institutionalized thievery. Despite Liberia’s extremely low threat level—scoring 0.00 on the Global Terrorism Index—the NSA has consistently received disproportionate funding compared to critical sectors like agriculture and education[3]. Calls for a forensic audit of the NSA have been ignored or withdrawn, and the agency remains immune to audit, even as other institutions have been scrutinized for serious financial irregularities[2].



The astronomical leap in intelligence-related budget lines in Liberia’s 2025 budget is not simply a matter of bigger numbers. The scale and opacity of these increases, coupled with rampant off-budget spending and a history of institutionalized misuse, raise urgent questions about corruption, money laundering, and the collapse of democratic oversight. Despite these massive allocations, the welfare of ordinary security officers remains unchanged, and the public sees little benefit from the surge in secretive spending. As Liberia’s government pours unprecedented resources into intelligence operations, the country’s social sectors and public trust continue to pay the price.




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Additional Sources




[1] Budget - Ministry of Finance and Development Planning https://www.mfdp.gov.lr/index.php/docs/the-national-budget

[2] 4G Passage of National Budget Draws Criticism -CENTAL Not Happy but Applauds Eligibility for MCC Compact https://analystliberiaonline.com/4g-passage-of-national-budget-draws-criticism-cental-not-happy-but-applauds-eligibility-for-mcc-compact/

[5] Liberia's 2025 Budget: Balancing Ambition with Fiscal Restraint https://www.insightsliberia.com/post/liberia-s-2025-budget-balancing-ambition-with-fiscal-restraint

[9] Fact-Checking Claims about NSA Allocation in 2024 Draft Budget, County Colleges’ Allocations & Liberia’s Terrorism Status - Local Voices Liberia https://localvoicesliberia.com/fact-checking-claims-about-nsa-allocation-in-2024-draft-budget-county-colleges-allocations-liberias-terrorism-status/

[10] LIBERIA’S INTELLIGENCE BUDGET SOARS WHILE COMMUNITY COLLEGES STRUGGLE, KOLLIE QUESTIONS PRIORITIES - Smart News Liberia https://smartnewsliberia.com/liberias-intelligence-budget-soars-while-community-colleges-struggle-kollie-questions-priorities/

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