Abuja: The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has announced that Nigeria is not only committed to fighting corruption but is also making steady and measurable progress through the government’s anti-graft reforms. He made this statement in Abuja during the National Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financial Terrorism (AML/CFT) Media outreach event, organized by the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Idris, represented by Dr. Dili Ezughah, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Press Council, highlighted the significant strengthening of Nigeria’s financial intelligence architecture, achieved through the efforts of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU). This enhancement has improved the monitoring of suspicious transactions and compliance with global AML/CFT standards. Idris emphasized the deepened inter-agency collaboration, ensuring institutions work more efficiently to detect, investigate, and prevent financial crimes.
‘Reforms in the financial sector, as demonstrated by the Central Bank of Nigeria, are enhancing transparency, boosting confidence, and tightening regulatory systems to curb illicit financial flows,’ Idris added. He noted that Nigeria’s regional partnerships, particularly with GIABA, reinforce the country’s commitment to combating cross-border financial crimes. The administration’s emphasis on transparency, digitalization, and accountability is closing systemic gaps that previously enabled corruption.
Idris also stressed the media’s critical role in the anti-corruption fight, acknowledging its power in shaping perceptions, driving accountability, and influencing national direction. He pointed out that the media’s accurate reporting, investigative journalism, and public enlightenment efforts help citizens understand the dangers of illicit financial flows and the importance of transparency and accountability.
While acknowledging the media’s role, Idris noted the challenges it faces, including the complexity of AML/CFT requiring specialized knowledge, the rise of misinformation, resource constraints, and safety concerns for journalists. He called for strengthened collaboration between government institutions and the media, investment in training journalists, and the promotion of ethical, fact-based journalism.
The Minister emphasized that the fight against corruption is a shared responsibility, stating, ‘Together we can build a Nigeria where transparency is the norm, accountability is demanded, and corruption has no place to hide.’
GIABA’s Director-General, Edwin Harris Jr, represented by Mr. Timothy Melaye, highlighted the organization’s efforts since 2000 to engage the media through sensitization programs, facilitating their understanding of AML issues. Harris emphasized the importance of the media in identifying and exposing money laundering, urging journalists to resist being influenced by corrupt entities and to uphold the truth.