Helping Nigeria return to the international financial fold
Barbara Omosun, Chief of Staff to the Nigerian IDEA’s largest project in Africa. Bar Association President, delivers a speech on 4 February 2025 at an event in Abuja, Nigeria, on rules of professional conduct for legal practitioners. The event was part of International IDEA’s efforts to help Nigeria fulfil the conditions for removal from the FATF’s grey list. Credit: International IDEA
Nigeria has for years been on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list—a designation for countries with gaps in tackling money laundering and terrorist financing. Countries on the list face strict restrictions in their ability to conduct international financial transactions, harming the economy of one of Africa’s powerhouses.
International IDEA stepped in to help Nigeria strengthen its financial integrity through targeted reviews, focused round tables, practical training and strategic international engagement. The Institute worked closely with key government finance, justice and law‑and‑order institutions to assess risks and overhaul systems. These efforts played an important role in Nigeria’s removal from the grey list—a milestone expected to reinforce the country’s financial system and boost wider economic confidence.
The initiative formed part of an agreement with the EU to deliver the second phase of the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (RoLAC II) in Nigeria—International IDEA’s largest project in Africa.
We must specifically thank International IDEA and our other development partners for their unwavering technical support and guidance throughout this rigorous process. Their collaboration was instrumental in strengthening our Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism frameworks and ultimately ensuring that Nigeria was removed from the Financial Action Task Force grey list, restoring global confidence in our financial system.
| Funding | European Union |
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