Nigeria has emerged as the third-largest African recipient of development assistance from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), receiving a total of $876 m in 2024.

This was disclosed in the Africa Sustainable Development Report 2025, jointly produced by the African Union Commission, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the African Development Bank, and the United Nations Development Programme.

According to the report, the Democratic Republic of Congo topped the list with $1.3bn, followed by Ethiopia with $1.25bn.

Nigeria ranked third, ahead of South Sudan, which received $830m; Kenya with $824m; Mozambique with $756m; and Sudan with $694m.

Although Nigeria received one of the largest allocations in absolute terms, the aid accounted for just 0.21 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product, the second-lowest ratio among the top ten beneficiaries.

In contrast, South Sudan, which collected less than Nigeria in total value, recorded the highest aid-to-GDP ratio at 6.05 per cent.

Overall, the top ten beneficiaries across Africa received $8.1bn in USAID funding in 2024, with the DRC and Ethiopia accounting for a significant share of the total.

The report also highlighted the uneven distribution of financing needs across African regions.

It stated: “At the subregional level, East and West Africa exhibit the largest financing needs and gaps, driven by the presence of some of the continent’s most populous countries, including Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. North and Southern Africa report smaller SDG financing gaps, reflecting their relatively higher levels of development and broader fiscal space.”

According to the Punch newspaper, the 2025 report emphasised that while aid flows remain vital, African countries must increase domestic resource mobilisation and enhance fiscal efficiency to bridge the vast financing gaps hindering progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

GIK/APA