President Bola Tinubu celebrated Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, describing it as "a major milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards economic reform, institutional integrity and global credibility."
Nigeria was placed on the FATF grey list in February 2023 after the global body identified strategic deficiencies in the country’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) systems.
Over two years later, the FATF lifted the listing following the successful implementation of a 19-point action plan designed to strengthen Nigeria’s AML/CFT framework.
In a statement issued on Friday by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu commended the collaborative efforts that led to the delisting.
He mentioned the critical contributions of key government officials, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, ministers across sectors, the National Security Adviser, as well as the leadership of the National Assembly and the Judiciary.
The President also praised the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), led by Director/CEO Hafsat Abubakar Bakari, for their diligence in ensuring the timely and comprehensive implementation of the country’s action plan.
"Without their dedication and sacrifice, today’s success could not have been achieved," Tinubu said, urging other stakeholders to emulate their standards.
Further, Tinubu acknowledged the roles of various ministries, agencies, and private sector representatives, particularly those actively engaged in the National Task Force on AML/CFT.
Among those recognised were the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The rest include the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), the National Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), and the heads of other security and regulatory agencies.
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