One hundred members of Nigeria’s Mutual Evaluation Working Groups (MEWG) are undergoing a five-day training in Abuja to prepare for the country’s third-round assessment of its anti-money laundering, counter-financing of terrorism and counter-proliferation financing (AML/CFT/CPF) measures.
The programme, running from October 12 to 16, 2026, is being facilitated by the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), with support from SecFIN Africa, at Nigeria’s request.
According to a statement by the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) Chief Executive Officer, Hafsat Abubakar Bakari, the training is intended to establish a common understanding of the assessment methodology ahead of the national Mock Mutual Evaluation Exercise scheduled for November 2026.
Speaking at the opening, Bakari said Nigeria must demonstrate the effectiveness of its legal and institutional frameworks in combating money laundering, terrorist financing and the financing of proliferation.
She noted that the programme builds on Nigeria’s successful exit from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Grey List in October 2025 and underscores the country’s commitment to safeguarding the integrity of its financial system.
Representing GIABA Director-General Giwa Siman Sechap, the organisation’s Director of Evaluations and Compliance highlighted the importance of inter-agency coordination and credible evidence in demonstrating the effectiveness of Nigeria’s measures.
Sechap said mutual evaluation was a collective national responsibility that required countries to show tangible results beyond compliance with technical standards.
SecFIN Africa’s Country Representative, Professor Shehu Abdullahi, also stressed the need for sustained capacity development, reliable information sharing and collaboration among relevant institutions to ensure effective preparation.
Participants include representatives of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Department of State Services (DSS), Federal Ministry of Justice, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and several other government agencies.
The training covers financial intelligence, regulatory supervision, virtual assets, beneficial ownership, investigations and prosecutions, asset confiscation, international cooperation, targeted financial sanctions and proliferation financing risks.
Practical exercises and simulated assessment interviews have also been incorporated to prepare participants to respond to assessors with accurate information and verifiable evidence.
The initiative is part of a broader capacity-building programme, with additional groups of 100 to 150 participants expected to undergo training every quarter. The programme could also be extended to private-sector stakeholders.
It follows a national stocktake and gap analysis coordinated by the NFIU through the Inter-Ministerial Committee, with support from the EFCC, DSS, ICPC, CBN, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
