The European Union (EU) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the fight against corruption, cybercrime and other financial crimes….
The European Union (EU) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the fight against corruption, cybercrime and other financial crimes.
EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, made the pledge during a courtesy visit to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, saying the partnership would focus on anti-corruption, cybercrime, training, financial crime investigation and prosecution.
Mignot said the EFCC plays a critical role in promoting a transparent business environment and boosting investor confidence in Nigeria.
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“The role of the EFCC is so important for us, both for the stability and prosperity of Nigeria and for our partnership, to be able to tell our potential investors: you can safely come to Nigeria. There is a compliant business environment because you have strong institutions like the EFCC,” he said.
He noted that the EU and the EFCC have maintained a long-standing relationship through initiatives such as the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) programme and pledged continued support to strengthen the Commission’s institutional capacity, investigations and prosecutions.
The ambassador also announced plans to train EFCC personnel on the proposed Cybercrime Response Centre and said the EU would continue supporting Nigeria’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) efforts.
Mignot described governance and compliance as key priorities for the EU, noting that stronger institutions would encourage more European investment in Nigeria, particularly in manufacturing, agriculture and other productive sectors.
Responding, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede said the Commission remained committed to tackling economic and financial crimes while creating an environment that supports legitimate businesses and investment.
He highlighted recent progress in combating cybercrime and terrorism financing, including Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.
Olukoyede said the planned Cybercrime Response Centre would operate around the clock, providing real-time responses to cybercrime reports, intelligence gathering and petitions.
“The essence of the centre is to handle real-time reports, gather intelligence, react to petitions, information and all of that,” he said.
He assured the EU and its member states that the EFCC would continue to protect legitimate investors and strengthen Nigeria’s business environment through effective enforcement against economic and financial crimes.
