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Fighting corruption, illicit financial flows in Nigeria is non-negotiable – Buhari
Published
8 years agoon
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Mega Icon“For my administration, fighting corruption and Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) in Nigeria is non-gegotiable’, This was the statement by Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Thabo Mbeki, former President of the Republic of South Africa and Chair of the AU/ECA High-Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa.
The Chair visited the President who is also the current Champion of AU Anti-Corruption Campaign, to follow up on the efforts of AU Member States to implement the recommendations of the High-Level Panel Report (endorsed by the AU in 2015) and ultimately tackle IFFs nationally. The visit also saw the Chair call upon the President in his capacity as the AU Anti-Corruption Champion to lead the efforts to engage action from other AU Member States towards tackling IFFs at the national, regional and continental level.
Prior to the Presidential visit, Mr. Mbeki met with representatives of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government of Nigeria which deal with Financial and legislative matters to gain an understanding of the country’s ongoing efforts to tackle Illicit Financial Flows.
In his remarks to the MDAs, the Mbeki recalled the 2015 Special Declaration to address IFFs, which was a realization by African leaders of the excessive losses due to illicit outflows. “The view was that the continent was losing resources which should have been available for its development to these illicit outflows,” he said. He emphasized the level of losses from IFFs, which at the time of the Panel’s Report was 50bn USD annually, but has now grown to about 80bn annually. He also indicated on a more positive note that, “Africa has led this agenda and brought it to global attention. This was evident when the African Heads of States asked our Panel to help address this issue”.
Mr. Mbeki highlighted some of the recommended actions to address these IFFs saying that Nigeria and in turn, all other AU member states need legislation to deal with money laundering, financial intelligence and tax evasion. He underlined that this issue also requires action from global partners stressing, “since these funds leave the continent to destination countries, this problem cannot be solved by Africa alone. He acknowledged the capacity constraints nationally and continentally, saying, “As Africans, we must say that having identified the nature and size of the problem, we must work to address the issue. We need to act on this matter in any capacity necessary.”
The Deputy Executive Secretary and Chief Economist of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Abdalla Hamdok for his part said that as a result of the Chair’s leadership, Africa was able to put the challenge of illicit finance on the global map. He referred to the Panel’s work and Report, whose impact has led to several important continental and global frameworks, including the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, as well as its inclusion in the Sustainable Development Goals.
As the Chair is required to report back to the AU Assembly of Heads of States and Government annually on the progress of implementing the recommendations of his Panel’s Report, Mr. Hamdok said, “Several actions are being carried out, including this visit to Nigeria to determine the state of reaction to this issue, as well as “a technical project which is being worked on by the ECA to help capacitate AU member states against IFFs. Mr. Hamdok also stressed that all these efforts and those not yet mentioned are still, however, based on political will, which is crucial to reducing IFFs from the continent.
Abubakar Malami, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) for his part elaborated on Nigeria’s efforts to implement strategies to curb corruption and reduce IFFs. “We have taken major multi-dimensional policy decisions relating to institutions, legislations…and above all, recognizing the need for international collaboration as it relates to the fight against corruption and the minimization of illicit financial flows”. He noted that through legislative processes, Nigeria has “succeeded in establishing and capacitating institutions which are mandated with the statutory role of working to enforce financial regulations as well as tackle various misconducts including corruption and IFFs.”
He also detailed the efforts of the country in fighting corruption and IFFs through the deployment of relevant technology and international collaboration. Additionally, he highlighted the need for collaboration to make it more difficult for IFF perpetrators to move freely, invest in businesses and benefit from the proceeds of crime. He stressed that “we must work to repatriate these funds from the external perpetrators while working to detain them.
The Permanent Secretary of Finance, Mahmoud Isa-Dutse delivered remarks on behalf of the Minister of Finance for Nigeria. In the speech, he commended the Chair and Panel for fighting this plague saying that IFFs have robbed Africa of the required wealth to help build schools, hospitals, roads and other necessary infrastructure. He added that the quest for Africa’s financial development will be accelerated if the efforts to recover these lost funds are successful and the continent’s development will no doubt receive a necessitated boost. In this regard, he spoke about the work of the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI), which is being led by the Minister of Finance. This effort has helped the country recover lost assets from taxes because of the increased transparency.
The two-day event culminated with a technical workshop with Thabo Mbeki. Raymond Baker, President, Global Financial Integrity and Member of the High-Level Panel as well as the Secretariat of the Panel meet with the representatives of the financial agencies and departments. Part of the objectives of the workshop was to discuss the ECA’s proposed Development Assistance Project which aims to support Nigeria and other member states in the fight against IFFs. Following this visit, the Secretariat is expected to further engage the government of Nigeria and foster collaboration to build its capacity to stem IFFs from the country.
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Iran War Disrupts Oil Supply, Global Loss Hits $50bn
Published
6 days agoon
April 18, 2026By
Mega IconThe global oil market has recorded losses exceeding $50bn following massive supply disruptions triggered by the ongoing Iran war, which has now stretched to nearly 50 days.
Data from energy analytics firm Kpler showed that more than 500 million barrels of crude oil and condensate have been wiped off the global market since the crisis began in late February, making it the largest energy supply disruption in modern history.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, on Friday said the Strait of Hormuz had been reopened after a ceasefire agreement reached in Lebanon.
However, tensions escalated again on Saturday as Tehran warned it could shut the strategic waterway if the United States sustains its blockade of Iranian ports.
Also, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism that a deal to end the conflict could be reached “soon,” although he did not provide a definite timeline.
Analysts warned that the scale of disruption could have prolonged effects on global energy stability, with shocks expected to linger for months or even years.
Providing context, Principal Analyst at Wood Mackenzie, Iain Mowat, said the 500 million barrels lost is equivalent to grounding global aviation demand for 10 weeks, halting all road transport worldwide for 11 days, or shutting down the entire global oil supply for five days.
Further estimates showed that the lost volume is nearly equal to one month of oil demand in the United States or more than a month’s supply for Europe. It also represents about six years of fuel consumption by the U.S. military and could power global shipping activities for approximately four months.
The crisis has significantly affected oil-producing nations in the Gulf, with output losses reaching about eight million barrels per day in March—roughly equivalent to the combined production of two of the world’s largest oil companies.
Jet fuel exports from major producers, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman, dropped sharply from 19.6 million barrels in February to just 4.1 million barrels recorded across March and April combined. Analysts said the shortfall could have powered about 20,000 round-trip international flights.
With crude prices averaging around $100 per barrel since the onset of the conflict, the lost volumes translate to an estimated $50bn in revenue. Experts noted that this figure is equivalent to about one per cent of Germany’s annual Gross Domestic Product, or roughly the size of the economies of smaller European countries.
Meanwhile, global onshore crude inventories have declined by about 45 million barrels in April alone, while total production outages have risen to approximately 12 million barrels per day since late March.
Industry experts cautioned that unless a lasting resolution is reached, the disruption could intensify volatility in global oil markets, worsen inflationary pressures, and further strain fragile economies worldwide.
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Oseni Secures Prestigious City People Political Award Nomination
Published
1 week agoon
April 16, 2026By
Mega IconA member of the House of Representatives representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, Aderemi Oseni, has been nominated for a Special Award in Politics at the 2026 City People Political Awards.
The nomination was conveyed in a letter dated April 13, 2026, signed by the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of City People Magazine, Seye Kehinde.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by Oseni’s media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan on Thursday.
According to the statement, the lawmaker earned the nomination in recognition of his “outstanding contributions to politics in Oyo State, particularly in Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency.”
The organisers noted that Oseni emerged as a nominee following a comprehensive review of performances across sectors by the award’s selection committee.
Part of the letter read, “Having performed creditably well in your sector last year, the Organising Committee presented you as a nominee in your sector.”
The award ceremony is scheduled to hold on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at Etal Hall, Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, at 4pm.
The City People Awards is an annual event that recognises individuals who have distinguished themselves in governance, public service and other sectors of national development.
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Kaduna Electric to prosecute, expose attackers of staff
Published
1 week agoon
April 16, 2026By
Mega IconThe Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company has announced a crackdown on individuals who assault its staff, warning that offenders will face prosecution and public exposure.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the company expressed concern over what it described as a “disturbing surge” in attacks on its field workers and third-party partners.
It noted that the affected personnel were mainly engaged in meter installation, revenue collection and maintenance of electricity infrastructure.
According to the firm, the increasing cases of harassment, physical assault and unlawful detention of its workers pose a serious threat to employee safety and the stability of electricity service delivery across its franchise areas.
The Deputy Managing Director, Abubakar Mohammed, said the company would no longer tolerate any form of aggression against its workforce.
“Let this serve as a clear warning to anyone who engages in the assault of our staff. Kaduna Electric will pursue every case to its logical conclusion,” he said.
“We will work closely with security agencies to ensure offenders are brought to justice and face the full weight of the law,” Mohammed added.
He further disclosed that the company would publicly reveal the identities of individuals found culpable.
According to him, names, photographs and other details of offenders would be published on the company’s official platforms as well as in national and local media.
“This measure is intended to ensure accountability and serve as a strong deterrent. Anyone who chooses to attack our personnel should be prepared not only to face prosecution but also public exposure,” he added.
The company stressed that assaults on utility workers attract serious legal and financial consequences, noting that offenders risk criminal charges that may lead to fines or imprisonment.
It added that perpetrators could also face civil liabilities, including compensation for medical treatment, psychological trauma and loss of work hours.
While condemning the attacks, Kaduna Electric urged customers to adopt peaceful and lawful means of resolving disputes.
It advised aggrieved customers to channel complaints through its customer service units or appropriate regulatory bodies.
The management reaffirmed its commitment to protecting its workforce and partners, stressing that a safe working environment is essential for delivering reliable and efficient electricity services.
Although disputes between electricity providers and consumers are often linked to billing issues, metering challenges and service delivery concerns, the company maintained that such matters must be resolved through dialogue, insisting that violence against its staff will no longer be tolerated.
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