Nigeria Trains 100 Experts to Strengthen AML/CFT/CPF Evaluation Readiness
Written by: Queen Abayomi
Nigeria has commenced a five-day capacity-building programme for 100 members of its Mutual Evaluation Working Groups (MEWG) as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s preparedness for its forthcoming third-round Mutual Evaluation on Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Financing of Terrorism and Counter-Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF).
The training, facilitated by the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), with support from SecFIN Africa at Nigeria’s request, is taking place in Abuja from October 12 to 16, 2026. The programme is designed to equip participants with a common understanding of the assessment methodology and prepare them for the national Mock Mutual Evaluation Exercise scheduled for November 2026.
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Speaking at the opening session, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Hafsat Abubakar Bakari, stressed that Nigeria must be able to demonstrate not only the strength of its legal and institutional frameworks but also their effectiveness in practice.
“Nigeria must be ready to not only explain its laws, policies and institutional arrangements, but also to demonstrate the results they deliver. This workshop builds on our successful exit from the FATF Grey List in October 2025 and reflects our continued commitment to strengthening the integrity of our financial system,” she said.
Representing the Director General of GIABA, Giwa Siman Sechap, Director of Evaluations and Compliance at the GIABA Secretariat, highlighted the importance of a shared understanding of the mutual evaluation methodology and the need for credible evidence of implementation.
He noted that mutual evaluation requires a coordinated national response, with institutions demonstrating how their respective responsibilities contribute to effective outcomes.
“Mutual evaluation is a collective national responsibility. Beyond technical compliance, countries must demonstrate that their systems are delivering results. This training provides an opportunity to strengthen the knowledge, coordination and practical readiness required to present a clear and evidence-based account of Nigeria’s efforts,” he said.
Also speaking, Professor Shehu Abdullahi, SecFIN Africa’s Country Representative, emphasised that effective preparation depends on sustained capacity development, reliable information-sharing and strong collaboration among institutions.
According to him, strengthening institutional readiness ahead of the assessment will enable Nigeria to identify outstanding gaps, consolidate existing achievements and demonstrate the effectiveness of its financial integrity framework.
The programme brings together representatives from key government agencies and regulatory institutions whose responsibilities collectively support Nigeria’s financial integrity framework. Participating institutions include the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), Department of State Services (DSS), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Federal Ministry of Justice and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Others are the Mining Cadastral Office (MCO), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML), among other relevant institutions.
The participating agencies bring expertise in financial intelligence, regulatory supervision, suspicious transaction reporting, criminal investigations and prosecutions, asset recovery, border control, beneficial ownership transparency, revenue enforcement and national security. Their combined efforts are expected to strengthen Nigeria’s ability to demonstrate measurable results in implementing its AML/CFT/CPF framework.
As part of its broader capacity-development efforts, Nigeria has increased its pool of accredited global experts on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Standards from fewer than 10 to 25 over the past two years.
The ongoing programme forms part of a wider training plan that envisages additional cohorts of 100 to 150 participants every quarter, with possible future expansion to include private-sector stakeholders.
Participants will receive training in financial intelligence, regulatory supervision, virtual assets, beneficial ownership, investigations and prosecutions, asset confiscation, international cooperation, targeted financial sanctions and proliferation financing risks.
The sessions will also feature practical exercises and simulated assessment interviews to prepare participants to respond confidently to evaluators’ questions using accurate information and verifiable evidence.
The initiative builds on a national stocktake and gap analysis coordinated by the NFIU, with support from the EFCC, DSS, ICPC, CBN and NAICOM, as well as the SEC, through the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC).
The exercise draws on contributions from participating institutions to assess the level of implementation, identify existing strengths and outstanding gaps, and establish priorities for corrective action. It also provides a common basis for coordinating national preparations and ensuring that the country’s overall AML/CFT/CPF framework reflects the responsibilities and contributions of the relevant institutions.
Reiterating the importance of translating collaboration into tangible outcomes, Bakari said the ultimate objective was to achieve measurable improvements in the country’s ability to combat financial crime.
“The real value of this exercise lies in the improvements it helps us deliver. By bringing our institutions together around evidence, shared responsibilities and measurable results, we can build a stronger and more effective system for detecting and disrupting financial crime,” she added.
The initiative underscores Nigeria’s continued commitment to strengthening institutional capacity, deepening inter-agency collaboration and demonstrating sustained progress in the fight against money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing ahead of its next Mutual Evaluation.
DemocracyNewslineNewspaper October 14th, 2026
