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CAC Moves to Remove Nigeria from FAFT Grey List
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has inaugurated a Beneficiary Ownership Register (BOR) aimed at removing Nigeria from the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
The Registrar-General of CAC, Mr Garba Abubakar, made this disclosure at a workshop on the use of BOR organised by the commission in Lagos on Wednesday.
BOR allows anyone with a stake of five per cent or more in a legal entity or corporation to disclose such to CAC through the company where it is domiciled.
Business Post reports that FATF, an intergovernmental policy-making body that seeks to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism, placed Nigeria on its grey list of the global watchdog for money laundering and terrorist financing earlier this year.
Mr Abubakar, however, said that the placement of Nigeria on the FATF grey list meant the country stood the risk of losing investors.
The CAC boss explained that the new BOR initiative had a legal framework aimed at curbing money laundering and illicit financial flows carried out using corporate companies.
He said the BOR which was launched on May 25, asides from closing gaps, would help Nigeria exit the FATF grey list.
According to him, it will also try to make information about beneficial owners available to aid investigations and work.
Mr Abubakar noted that the concept of the BOR disclosure would also support some provisions in the Company and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020.
He said: “To know who may control a company, you may need to lift some veils, and we must know how most procurements and processes are carried out using corporate companies.
“It is only proper for attention to be focused on companies, and this BOR is the legal framework to support that to promote an open and transparent register of beneficial ownership.
“Stakeholders agreed that CAC should drive the process for beneficial ownership implementation and provisions were included in CAMA to support the disclosure.
“By the provision of Section 119 of CAMA, if you control up to five per cent of shares or control any influence or have any trust arrangement whether registered or not, you have to disclose to the company within 30 days.
He also noted that the company discloses to the CAC within seven days of disclosure.
“Dynamics like disclosing any form of political affiliation is critical to ascertaining if there is any sort of connection to the business.
“All these and more are the gaps we need to close to satisfy the requirements of FATF, and we would continue to map out strategies to address these concerns,” he said.
Mr Abubakar said that with the BOR, lawyers, government agencies, and civil societies doing investigative reports, do not need to write to the commission before they could get information on the beneficiary ownership register.
He added that there was an application that allowed for system integration to check and was available publicly.
The registrar-general, however, said there was a level of safeguard for some levels of private information and the consequences of making such information available.
Mr Abubakar said the commission was committed to giving the general public the best of services and would continue to improve to meet their needs.
By Dipo Olowookere
Nigeria’s Vice President, Mr Kashim Shettima, will run as the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.
President Bola Tinubu retained Mr Shettima as his running mate for re-election next year, according to the National Chairman of the APC, Mr Nentawe Yilwatda.
In a post on Friday on X, the ruling party chairman described this as “another significant milestone in the journey of our great party.”
He also said it reaffirms the party’s collective resolve to sustain the Renewed Hope Agenda and deepen the progress already being recorded across the country.
It was gathered that Mr Tinubu submitted his presidential nomination forms today through his Special Adviser on Political and Other Matters, Mr Ibrahim Masari.
The submission was done ceremony at the Continental Hotel, Abuja, attended by several party chieftains, including The event brought together an impressive array of leaders of our great party, including the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Mr Hope Uzodimma; Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, as well as other governors, party executives and critical stakeholders from across the federation.
“The All Progressives Congress remains focused on strengthening its grassroots support, consolidating the achievements of the Renewed Hope Agenda and working together to build a more prosperous, secure and inclusive Nigeria for all,” the party leader stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have regained their freedom after 56 days in captivity.
The development was disclosed on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on X. He revealed that eight of the kidnappers have been arrested and are now in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), while some others were neutralised during the operation.
“Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies,” he wrote.
He said no concession was made to the terrorists to secure the freedom of the abducted pupils and teachers.
Mr Onanuga explained that the kingpin whose release the kidnappers had demanded was neither freed nor spared, as he remains under prosecution for offences linked to his terrorist activities.
The abductions occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools: Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.
No fewer than 39 pupils and seven teachers, including a principal, were taken during the attacks. During the attack, a teacher, Mr Joel Adesiyan, was killed while attempting to escape.
Another teacher, Mr Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly beheaded in the kidnappers’ den.
The terrorists holding the victims had reportedly made a four-point demand before agreeing to free the captives, including the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related law.
The Oyo State Government had consistently maintained that no ransom would be paid to secure the release of any victims.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) embarked on a month-long strike in the state to press for the victims’ rescue before suspending the action in July.
It also drew federal intervention, with military and police authorities repeatedly assuring Nigerians that operations to secure the victims’ freedom were ongoing.
The President’s spokesperson said that security agencies would soon provide a comprehensive account of the operation.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The board of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has approved a $260 million financing package for the construction of a 123-kilometre section of the Trans-Saharan Highway in Nigeria as part of more than $417 million earmarked for strategic projects across West Africa.
The approval was granted during the bank’s 99th Ordinary Session, chaired by its President, Mr George Donkor, according to a statement issued after the meeting. It was noted that the total financing will support five public and private sector projects spanning infrastructure, healthcare, housing, mining, financial resilience and regional connectivity.
EBID said the approved investments underscore its commitment to funding high-impact projects that drive economic growth, create jobs and improve living standards across the sub-region.
“The projects approved during this 99th Board Session demonstrate EBID’s unwavering commitment to financing development solutions that directly improve the lives of West African citizens.
“From clean energy and transport infrastructure to healthcare, housing and financial sector resilience, these investments will strengthen regional competitiveness and support sustainable and inclusive growth across our community,” said Mr Donkor.
That of Nigeria is to improve connectivity, facilitate trade, reduce logistics costs and support economic integration; West African CFA franc (XOF) 10 billion in a line of credit to Banque de l’Habitat de Côte d’Ivoire (BHCI) to expand housing finance and support SMEs operating across the housing and construction value chain; €80 million for the design, construction, equipment and maintenance of the 150-bed Regional Hospital of Ferkessédougou in Côte d’Ivoire under a public-private partnership;
XOF 12.82 billion (West African CFA Franc) for the renovation, operation and maintenance of the Symphonie Building in Abidjan under a public-private partnership and $47.4 million for Azumah Resources Ghana Limited to finance the procurement of long-lead process plant equipment and critical early-stage development activities for the Black Volta Gold Project.
“These approvals advance EBID’s Growth, Resilience and Optimisation (GRO) Strategy, which prioritises transformative infrastructure, human capital development, private sector growth and regional integration. Through these investments, the Bank continues to promote sustainable development and shared prosperity across West Africa,” the statement said.
