By Jane Okeke
Nigeria has achieved a major international breakthrough in its anti–money laundering and counter-terrorist financing drive, following its official removal from the European Union’s list of high-risk third countries.
The development, announced in Abuja on January 15, 2025, marks a significant endorsement of Nigeria’s financial reforms under the EU Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework.
The delisting decision is contained in the European Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) C (2025) 8460, adopted on December 4, 2025, in line with updates from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) October 2025 Plenary.
The regulation, which takes effect from January 29, 2026, also confirms the removal of Burkina Faso, Mali, Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania from the EU high-risk list after their successful exit from the FATF grey list.
According to the European Commission, Nigeria and other delisted countries strengthened the effectiveness of their AML/CFT regimes, closed critical operational gaps and fulfilled commitments under their FATF Action Plans.
Nigeria’s removal reflects what stakeholders describe as strong political will under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, whose administration prioritised financial system integrity, inter-agency coordination and strict compliance with international standards.
Reacting to the milestone, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Hafsat Abubakar Bakari, described the decision as a validation of Nigeria’s reform journey.
“This decision represents an important external validation of Nigeria’s steady progress in strengthening its AML/CFT/CPF framework,” Bakari said.
She added, “It demonstrates that consistent reforms, effective coordination and strong national ownership can translate into tangible international outcomes.”
The NFIU CEO explained that Nigeria’s removal from the EU high-risk list means financial transactions with EU countries will no longer be subject to enhanced due diligence requirements.
This, she noted, is expected to ease compliance burdens, improve cross-border financial flows and boost Nigeria’s attractiveness for trade, investment and financial partnerships with EU member states.
Bakari further stated that beyond the immediate economic benefits, the delisting “strengthens international confidence in Nigeria’s financial system and underscores our standing as a cooperative and responsible participant in the global financial architecture.”
She highlighted the NFIU’s coordinating role in financial intelligence, stressing that the achievement was collective. “While we welcome this progress, it places a clear responsibility on all stakeholders to sustain momentum and guard against complacency,” she said.
The NFIU reaffirmed its commitment to continuous engagement with FATF, GIABA, the European Union and other partners to deepen the effectiveness of Nigeria’s AML/CFT/CPF framework.
EU clears Nigeria from high-risk AML list in major global endorsement – NFIU CEO
