General
ICPC Lobbies ECOWAS to Combat Crimes in West Africa
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has called on the leaders of the Economic Community of Western African States (ECOWAS) to fashion and pursue a robust Anti-Money Laundering (AML)/Combating Financing of Terrorism policy in the fight against corruption and other violent crimes pervading the region.
The Chairman of the commission, Mr Bolaji Owasanoye, made the call while lamenting that illicit financial flow, as well as illegal trade in pangolins, elephant tusks and other wildlife, is estimated to have cost the region billions of dollars.
The ICPC boss, while delivering his keynote address at the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) annual public lecture series held at the Nile University, Abuja, stated that, “It is difficult to divorce the raging violent crimes in Zamfara State of Nigeria from the illegal gold mining by Nigerians and collaborators from the West African region and beyond which had gone on for years unabated.
“In 2016, the IMF estimated the annual global cost of bribery alone at $2 trillion, which is roughly 2 per cent of global GDP.”
Mr Owasanoye added that the above figure does not include the cost of other forms of corruption and illegal trade in pangolins, elephant tusks and other wildlife.
While stating that money laundering provides the means to make illicit money seem licit, he said only a robust AML/CTF can help fight corruption, terrorism/terrorist financing, arms trafficking and cross-border trafficking of hard currency to influence elections etc.
“West Africa needs to pursue a multi-track strategy to surmount the daunting challenges posed by economic and financial crimes. The fortune of generations unborn relies on the actions that we take today,” he said.
Some of the actions, according to him, include strengthening democratic institutions for the emergence of credible, legitimate people-focused governments across the region; promoting complementary selfless visionary leadership focused on the future of Africa not as rhetoric but with action, and strengthening regional cooperation, amongst others.
On his part, the Director-General of GIABA, Mr Kimelabalou Aba, said that money laundering and terrorist financing constitute major obstacles to human development and present significant obstacles to equal economic and social opportunities, especially for honest and hard-working people.
“In many other countries, these crimes have adversely impacted national security and development in Nigeria, including the erosion of hard-earned reputation for individuals, corporate organisations and even countries.
“While investors take calculated risks, they try to avoid investing in countries classified as high risks for money laundering and terrorist financing,” Mr Aba said.
He stated that the event provided another golden opportunity for GIABA to strengthen collaboration with the academia in their commonly shared responsibility of tackling the twin problems of money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF) in Nigeria and the West Africa region.
He said: “It is imperative for GIABA and all stakeholders, including academia, to deepen our collaboration to effectively counter these criminals – we need a network of good people to counter the network of evil people. Criminals may be smart, but they often end up outsmarting themselves.”
“In GIABA, we consider the school system as a critical stakeholder in this endeavour. Educational institutions such as yours are the orchards that nurture the future human fruits of a nation – many good and bad people in society today pass through the school system, and the system would have influenced both.
“As the foremost socializing institution in the society after the family, the school system should do more to deliver future good leaders for the society – leaders that can be trusted to deliver development and good governance for their people and not under development and misery,” he noted.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United Kingdom has reaffirmed its development partnership with Kano and Jigawa States, as part of its long-term commitment to development and reform in northern Nigeria.
The Head of Development Cooperation at the British High Commission Abuja, Ms Cynthia Rowe, recently completed high-level engagements with governors of both states as well as senior government officials and civil society leaders.
The discussions underscored the UK’s modern approach to development as a genuine partnership with Nigeria, which prioritises state-led ownership and sustainable development that delivers lasting impact through strengthening systems and partnerships grounded in investment, trade, climate financing, technical expertise and joint accountability.
According to a statement, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, via the British High Commission, said Nigeria remains one of the UK’s most significant development partners, adding that the engagements underlined the strength and ambition of the bilateral relationship reaffirmed during the recent UK-Nigeria State Visit.
In Kano, Ms Rowe met with Deputy Governor Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo and senior officials, including the newly confirmed Head of Civil Service and Secretary to the State Government. The visit recognised Kano’s progress on climate finance, health system reform and private sector investment supported through UK technical assistance.
In Jigawa, she met with Governor Umar Namadi and heads of key ministries, departments and agencies. The meeting celebrated more than 25 years of UK-Jigawa partnership, one of the most longstanding bilateral development relationships at the subnational level in Nigeria. Discussions covered the state’s continued progress on health systems reform, agriculture, and governance and the path forward under UK technical assistance.
Since 2022, PLANE has supported Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa to strengthen state-led education delivery systems, working through Ministries of Education, SUBEB and key agencies. Its RANA+ foundational learning packages have reached 1.4 million pupils across the three states, alongside wider system strengthening.
Speaking on this, Ms Rowe said, “For more than 25 years, we have worked side by side with state governments, including Jigawa and Kano states, their communities, and civil society to build stronger health systems, improve learning outcomes for millions of children, support farmers to grow their businesses, and help states attract the investment they need to thrive.
These visits have reinforced our confidence in what this partnership can achieve. We are working together to deliver lasting change, and deepening a relationship built on genuine mutual respect and shared ambition for Nigeria’s growth and development.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on data sharing to enhance economic productivity.
This was done at a meeting at CBN Head Office in Abuja, where the weather body led by its Director General, Mr Charles Anosike, on Wednesday, highlighted the importance of integrating weather and climate data into economic research, especially in sectors such as agriculture, energy, and transportation.
He noted that extreme weather events can reduce agricultural productivity and threaten food security.
He added that the collaboration aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which prioritises food security through major agricultural investment, including the cultivation of 10 million hectares of land and the distribution of mechanised equipment.
Mr Anosike cited a 2026 World Bank report that showed that extreme weather driven by climate change is significantly affecting global food security, with more than 87 million people facing hunger in East and Southern Africa and 52 million in West and Central Africa.
He also referenced the latest Berkeley Earth Report, which projects that 2026 is likely to be the fourth warmest year on record, a trend that continues to shape agricultural and energy market projections.
In his remarks, Mr Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, Deputy Governor, Economic Policy Directorate of the CBN, said the signing of the MoU marked an important step in strengthening the partnership between two key national institutions whose mandates intersect in data, research, and policy support.
He emphasised that, in an increasingly complex and dynamic economic environment, timely and reliable data remain essential for effective policy decisions.
According to him, the Economic Policy Directorate relies heavily on timely and credible statistical information from NiMet, saying that such data are critical for inflation monitoring, agricultural sector assessment, and broader economic policy advisory functions.
He described the initiative as both timely and important, adding that strong institutional partnerships are essential for strengthening evidence-based policymaking and improving the robustness of national data systems.
At the close of the event, Mr Anosike and Mr Sani Abdullahi signed the MoU on behalf of their respective institutions.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Tunji Disu, has ordered an immediate nationwide ban prohibiting Point-of-Sale (POS) operators from running their businesses within a 200-metre radius of any police station, divisional headquarters, or police formation across Nigeria.
This directive, released via an internal police wireless message, addresses critical systemic challenges regarding extortion and corrupt financial practices within law enforcement facilities.
The order is to be strictly enforced nationwide, with senior officers overseeing various formations to be held accountable for any breach of the directive.
The Nigeria Police Force stated that the measure is intended to strengthen transparency, accountability, and public confidence in the policing system.
The decision comes after an alarming proliferation of POS businesses near police facilities, with investigations and public complaints revealing that some operators were actively complicit in facilitating extortion, bribery, and illegal cash transfers forced upon civilians or suspects during police encounters.
Under the directive, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs), State Commissioners of Police (CPs), and heads of formations will be held vicariously liable for any breach within their jurisdictions.
The IGP’s order states: “Any officer or POS merchant found flouting the 200-metre operational boundary or colluding in illicit transactions will face immediate disciplinary and criminal actions under extant laws.
“If you are a POS agent or looking into regulatory compliance for financial services in Nigeria, let me know. I can provide details on current Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) radius registration guidelines or share methods to report officer misconduct directly to the Force Headquarters.”
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