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Claim: Liberian politician Simeon Freeman claimed the NSA’s operational budget is US$18 million.
Verdict: False! The approved 2026 National Budget shows the NSA’s operational budget is US$22.19 million.
Full Text
The political leader of the Movement for Progressive Change, Simeon Freeman, has alleged that the National Security Agency’s operational budget is US$18 million.
He made the claim two hours, 23 minutes and 30 seconds into a live interview on Voice of Liberia on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026.
“We are spending another set of money, US$18 million for an operational fund for the NSA,” Freeman said.
DUBAWA decided to verify the claim as part of its mandate to counter misinformation and disinformation and promote truth-telling in public discourse.
Verification
DUBAWA contacted the claimant to show evidence for his claim, but he did not respond at the time of writing this report.
This researcher checked the 2026 National Budget published by the Ministry of Finance. The NSA’s 2026 budget, located on page 182, is US$22,190,628 million. It includes US$3,690,628 for employees’ compensation and US$18,500,000 for goods and services.
Screenshot of the 2026 NSA budget from the 2026 National Budget, page 182.
Reports from Focus on Liberia and AllAfrica also verified the National Security Agency’s allocation in the 2026 National Budget.
Conclusion
The NSA’s current operational budget is US$22.19 million. Therefore, Freeman’s claim that it is US$18 million is false.