Business
EFCC Debunks Claims On Money Laundering Act
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has
debunked claims that the omission of the word “fraud’’ in Nigeria’s 2011
Anti-money Laundering Act was deliberate.
The commission’s secretary Emmanuel Akomaye, said on Sunday
in Abuja that the declaration by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that
the omission was probably deliberate was not true.
The FATF is a Paris-based global association of 186
countries demanding transparency before dealing in financial transactions
between themselves and with other countries of the world.
It is meeting on October 15 in France to determine whether
Nigeria should be one of the countries to be delisted from the group, a
development which could bar Nigeria from financial transactions with other
countries if it did not fine-tune its antimony laundering and anti-money laws.
The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote
effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for
combating money laundering, terrorism financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system.
Akomaye said that the word “fraud’’ was contained in the
draft bill that was passed by the National Assembly, but that its omission in
the final bill must have been an error during printing.
He also debunked allegations of possible and deliberate
narrow definition of the word “fund’’ in the countries funding of terrorism and
criminalising of terrorism law.
“Truly, EFCC was part of the process that led to the
enactment of the 2011 Anti-money Laundering and the Prevention of Terrorism
Act; I would rather say that it was the Printer’s Devil that the word fraud was
omitted.
“Because in the draft bill, fraud was there.
“In Section 15 of the money laundering Act which is the
subject issue in this amendment, there are 20 offences which the FATF regard as
predicate offences to money laundering and fraud is one of them.
“So for your law to meet standards set by the FATF, all the
20 offences must be included in your predicate offences for money laundering,
unfortunately fraud was omitted. “Not only fraud, there was also the omission
of sexual exploitation of children. I wouldn’t say it was deliberate. The
National Assembly meant well.
“If the National Assembly included corruption which is one
of our biggest challenges, I don’t think that deliberately the word “fraud”
would have been omitted, so it was, like I said, probably a Printer’s Devil.
Akomaye told our reporter that although sexual exploitation
might not be a serious offence in Nigeria, it was a serious one in other parts
of the world were syndicates took advantage of children as sex workers to make
money.
He said that money made by such criminal means was also
considered as dirty money by the FATF and should be included in the list of
offences as such monies were usually laundered to make them look clean.
He said that South Africa was the only African country that
had been fully registered as a member of the FATF as Nigeria still needed to
fine-tune its laws to continue to engage in financial transactions with other
members of the FATF.
“You cannot be a member when you are deficient in some of
the things that they are asking you to do; you have to clear yourself of all
those issues before you can be so considered.
“Given our size, one of the considerations for admission to
both the FATF and your listing as a potential anti-money laundering risk is the
size of the economy.
“Once your economy has a GDP of over five billion dollars,
you are eligible to be scrutinised whether your financial systems has
vulnerabilities that could expose both residents and those who intend to do
business with such a country to any potential risk.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday said 33 banks have met new minimum capital requirements under its recapitalisation programme, raising a combined N4.65 trillion to strengthen the financial system.
The apex bank disclosed this in a statement marking the end of the exercise, which commenced in March 2024 and drew participation from domestic and foreign investors.
The statement was jointly signed by the Director of Banking Supervision, Olubukola Akinwunmi, and the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali.
The statement said “Over the 24-month period, Nigerian banks raised a total of N4.65tn in new capital, strengthening the resilience of the financial system and enhancing its capacity to support the economy.”
The regulator said local investors accounted for 72.55 per cent of the funds, while international investors contributed 27.45 per cent, reflecting continued confidence in the sector.
Commenting on the outcome, the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, said in the statement, “The recapitalisation programme has strengthened the capital base of Nigerian banks, reinforcing the resilience of the financial system and ensuring it is well-positioned to support economic growth and withstand domestic and external shocks.”
It added that while 33 banks have complied with the new thresholds, a few others are still undergoing regulatory and legal processes.
The statement noted, “The CBN confirms that 33 banks have met the revised minimum capital requirements established under the programme.
“A limited number of institutions remain subject to ongoing regulatory and judicial processes, which are being addressed through established supervisory and legal frameworks.
“All banks remain fully operational, ensuring continued access to banking services for customers.”
The apex bank stressed that the exercise was executed without disrupting banking operations, ensuring uninterrupted access to services nationwide.
It further stated that key prudential indicators have improved, particularly capital adequacy ratios, which remain above global Basel benchmarks.
The minimum ratios were set at 10 per cent for regional and national banks and 15 per cent for banks with international licences.
The bank also said the recapitalisation coincided with a gradual exit from regulatory forbearance, a move it said improved asset quality, strengthened balance sheet transparency, and enhanced overall stability.
To preserve these gains, the CBN said it has reinforced its risk-based supervision framework, mandating periodic stress tests and adequate capital buffers for banks.
It added that supervisory and prudential guidelines would be reviewed regularly to strengthen governance, risk management, and resilience across the sector.
“The successful completion of the programme establishes a stronger and more resilient banking system, better positioned to support lending, mobilise savings, and withstand domestic and global shocks,” the statement said.
The Tide learnt that foreign capital inflows into Nigeria’s banking sector rose by 93.25 per cent year-on-year to $13.53bn in 2025, up from $7.00bn recorded in 2024, amid the ongoing recapitalisation drive by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics capital importation report showed that the banking sector remained the dominant destination for foreign capital, accounting for $13.53bn of the total $23.22bn recorded in 2025, representing 58.26 per cent of total inflows, up from 56.81 per cent in 2024.
The surge reflects heightened investor interest in Nigerian banks as they raised fresh capital to meet new regulatory thresholds introduced by the apex bank, with industry-wide recapitalisation activities driving large-scale inflows across all quarters of the year.
However, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) recently raised concerns over weak credit flows to small businesses despite recent banking sector reforms.
The CPPE, led by a renowned economist, Dr Muda Yusuf, acknowledged that the ongoing bank recapitalisation exercise by the CBN has strengthened the financial system, but warned that the benefits have yet to translate into meaningful support for the real economy.
The facility will be disbursed through participating Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), which will in turn extend the loans to their customers, particularly SMEs, as they directly interface with businesses at the grassroots level.
The Executive Director of COMCIN, Mr. Micheal Ogbaa who represented the Chairman, Dr. Iredele Oyedele (FCA, FCCA), said the initiative is designed to strengthen micro-lending institutions and expand access to finance for grassroots entrepreneurs, particularly women and youths in the informal sector.
Ogbaa explained that COMCIN does not lend directly to individuals but works through its network of microfinance and cooperative institutions, which in turn provide loans to end users.
“We came together to advocate for the microfinance ecosystem. Commercial banks often exclude people at the grassroots, but our members are positioned to reach them. This facility will empower them to do more,” he said.
He noted that the loan scheme offers low interest rates and flexible repayment plans, making it more accessible to small business owners.
According to him, about 90 percent of beneficiaries are expected to be women, who play a key role in sustaining families and driving economic activities at the local level.
“Our focus is on traders, service providers, and players in the informal sector. These are the real movers of the economy. By supporting them, we are strengthening families and contributing to national development,” he added.
Ogbaa disclosed that eligible SMEs with proven integrity and business track records could access up to N5 million each through participating micro-lending institutions. The rollout has commenced in Lagos and will extend to Abuja, Enugu, and other regions, including the South-West, South-East, and North-East.
He said 12 micro-lending institutions have already benefited from the scheme, while 85 applications are currently being processed under the pilot phase.
“Our target is to reach at least 100,000 SMEs nationwide. We are building a platform that connects funding partners with credible micro-lending institutions, creating a reliable channel for financial inclusion,” Ogbaa said.
He added that COMCIN is also working to attract larger funding pools from development finance institutions and private investors, noting that successful implementation of the pilot phase would boost confidence and unlock more capital for SMEs.
“We have seen encouraging testimonies from early beneficiaries. As we demonstrate transparency and efficiency, more institutions will be willing to channel funds through us,” he said.
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