The Hot Pepper has been informed that the National Security Agency (NSA) is undergoing audit for the fiscal period January—December 2024. The audit is being conducted by the Inspector General (IG) of the NSA, who was appointed by President Joseph N. Boakai and confirmed by the Liberian Senate in July 2025.
During fiscal year 2024, the agency received an allocation of US$13,365,634 (thirteen million three hundred sixty-five thousand six hundred thirty-four United States dollars). From the beginning of the fiscal year, the agency was headed by J. Henric Pearson, who later turned over to Prince Johnson in the same year.
According to the Act creating the NSA, the agency is authorized to withdraw to the extent necessary for the maintenance of secrecy, its yearly appropriations through the Ministry of Finance and deposit them in the agency’s own checking account in a bank within the Republic to be designated by the President as the legal depository.
The agency is also authorized to develop and maintain its own procurement, accounting and auditing system separate from those of general government, but having the same control effect as the system of the general government.
This system, according to security experts, was put in place to preserve the NSA from public disclosure and guarantee the independence of the agency from general government financial arrangements.
In recent years, questions have aroused regarding whether or not the agency can be audited and the process through which it can be audited.
Research conducted by the Hot Pepper has revealed that, indeed, the National Security Agency (NSA) can be audited by and through the office of an Inspector General (IG) of the agency (when appointed), and a limited and restricted audit by the General Auditing Commission (GAC). Both audits, when performed, are not for public views or general discussion. They are highly confidential and only for the eyes of the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) and a “select” members of the Senate and House of Representatives’ standing committees on Intelligence and National Security, with the appropriate pay-grade and security clearance.
By law or best international intelligence practice, the NSA should present a copy of her audit report to the “select” standing committees on Intelligence and National Security of both the Senate and House of Representatives.
Fortunately, in mid-2025 an Inspector General was vetted and approved by the National Security Council as required, and subsequently appointed by President Joseph Boakai and approved by the Liberian Senate in July 2025. As expected, the IG has begun the audit on the NSA, and is said to be getting the work smoothly done through the cordiality of Director Prince Johnson.
The office of the Inspector General is responsible to provide independent oversight through inspection, investigation and audit of the agency’s programs and operations, and works to promote efficiency, effectiveness and accountability. The IG’s primary duty is to prevent fraud, waste and abuse within the agency. These findings are reported directly to the office of the NSA Director for prompt action.
The Office of the Inspector General (IG) also has a responsibility to keep the House and Senate’s “select” members with the appropriate pay-grade and “security clearance” of the Committees on National Security and Intelligence informed on problem and progress made in the agency, with the expressed approval of the NSA Director.
Meanwhile, after the audit on the NSA is concluded it is expected that the IG will brief President Boakai on the outcome, the House and Senate committees on National Security and Intelligence, headed by Representative Gizzie Kollince and Senator Cyrus Momo, respectively, and the NSA Director, Prince C. Johnson.
This is, arguably, the first of its kind—for the NSA to undergo a complete audit. Even though the report will not be made public, the audit is being described as the first step in the right direction to making the agency accountable.
