The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) has welcomed the European Union’s decision to remove Nigeria from its list of high-risk third-country jurisdictions for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT).
In a statement issued on January 21, 2026, in Benin City, Edo State, and signed by its Executive Director, Rev. David Ugolor, ANEEJ described the development as a significant milestone and an acknowledgement of Nigeria’s recent reforms aimed at strengthening its legal, institutional and regulatory frameworks against money laundering, terrorism financing and other illicit financial flows.
According to the organisation, Nigeria’s delisting reflects the impact of reforms undertaken by relevant government agencies and civil society organisations, including improvements in risk assessment, supervision, enforcement, advocacy and international cooperation, in line with standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
Ugolor said the decision has far-reaching economic implications for Nigeria, including increased investor confidence, improved access to international financial systems and reduced compliance burdens for Nigerian businesses and financial institutions operating within the European Union.
However, he cautioned against complacency, stressing that the delisting should be seen as an opportunity to consolidate and deepen ongoing reforms. He noted that persistent challenges such as grand corruption, weak enforcement, lack of transparency in beneficial ownership and continued illicit financial flows still pose serious threats to development and public trust.
He emphasized that sustaining the progress would require full and effective implementation of existing AML/CFT laws and regulations, stronger inter-agency collaboration, improved judicial effectiveness in prosecuting financial crimes, greater transparency and public access to beneficial ownership information, and the protection of civic space to enable civil society engagement in monitoring and accountability.
ANEEJ reaffirmed its commitment to working with government institutions, international partners, the private sector and civil society to ensure Nigeria sustains its improved status and builds a resilient system capable of tackling financial crimes while promoting inclusive and sustainable development.
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