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FATF Delist Nigeria From List of Global Financial Crime Countries

Bakari, who led the implementation of the reform plan, described the delisting as “a true test of Nigeria’s resilience, coordination, and unwavering commitment to reform.

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The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), has officially removed Nigeria from its list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring, also known as the grey list.

Burkina Faso, Mozambique, and South Africa were also removed from the grey list at the FATF October 2025 Plenary in Paris, France, following the countries’ successful implementation of a 19-point action plan aimed at strengthening their Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) frameworks.

The Director/CEO of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit , NFIU, Hafsat Bakar , announced the development on Friday.

She disclosed that Nigeria was placed on the grey list in February 2023 after the FATF identified strategic deficiencies in its AML/CFT systems.

Over the past two years, the Federal Government worked with the FATF and the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa to address the identified gaps through legislative reforms, institutional strengthening, and enhanced inter-agency coordination.

Key reforms cited by the FATF include the enactment and enforcement of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022; the operationalisation of the Beneficial Ownership Register; and improved supervision of designated non-financial businesses and professions.

She emphasised that Nigeria had enhanced the capacity of its intelligence and law enforcement agencies to detect, investigate, and prosecute financial crimes, while deepening international cooperation and intelligence sharing.

“The NFIU is pleased to announce that the FATF, at its October 2025 Plenary in Paris, France, has officially removed Nigeria from the list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring, commonly known as the grey list.

This milestone marks a historic moment in Nigeria’s fight against serious financial crimes.

The delisting of Nigeria underscores the country’s commitment to global standards in combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing.

“Nigeria has demonstrated a sustained commitment to financial transparency and integrity.

Key milestones include the enactment and enforcement of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022; the operationalisation of the Beneficial Ownership Register, improving corporate transparency and accountability; implementation of stronger supervisory and preventive measures by public and private sector authorities to prevent abuse of Nigeria’s financial system; increased international cooperation and cross-border intelligence exchange with regional and global partners; and improved supervision of Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions.”

She noted that a high-level Nigerian delegation — including the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Ministers of Finance and Interior, and the Director of the NFIU — represented the country at the plenary.

Bakari, who led the implementation of the reform plan, described the delisting as “a true test of Nigeria’s resilience, coordination, and unwavering commitment to reform.”

She commended President Bola Tinubu for his leadership and thanked key government institutions, the National Assembly, the judiciary, and the private sector for their roles in achieving the milestone.

Bakari urged all stakeholders to sustain the reform momentum to ensure Nigeria maintains compliance with global financial integrity standards.

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Nigerian Press Urges FG, NASS to Act Swiftly Against ‘Big Tech Threat’

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Major Nigerian media and journalism organizations have issued a strong call to the Federal Government (FG) and the National Assembly (NASS) to take immediate legislative and regulatory action against what they describe as an existential threat posed by Big Tech companies to the country’s information sovereignty and media industry.

In a joint statement released recently, leading press bodies—including key associations representing publishers, editors, and journalists—warned that unchecked dominance by global technology giants such as Google, Meta, and others is eroding Nigeria’s control over its digital information ecosystem.

They highlighted how these platforms dominate digital advertising revenue, divert traffic from traditional news sources, and increasingly use Nigerian-generated content to train artificial intelligence models without fair compensation or permission.

The groups emphasized that the situation risks surrendering Nigeria’s information sovereignty to foreign entities, potentially undermining national security, cultural values, and the economic viability of local media houses.

They pointed to declining revenues for publishers, with some facing up to 90% drops in traffic due to AI-generated summaries and algorithmic changes on search and social platforms.

The press bodies urged lawmakers to enact robust regulations, including frameworks for content remuneration, data usage restrictions, algorithmic transparency, and mechanisms to ensure fair competition in the digital space.

They called for urgent collaboration between the executive and legislature to address these challenges before irreversible damage occurs to Nigeria’s media landscape and democratic discourse.

This appeal comes amid broader global debates on Big Tech accountability and follows Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its digital economy governance, including recent pushes toward comprehensive AI and data regulations.

Stakeholders view the statement as a pivotal moment for protecting indigenous media in an era of rapid technological disruption.

The Federal Government and National Assembly have yet to issue an official response, but the call aligns with growing concerns over digital monopolies and their impact on developing economies.

Media experts anticipate intensified discussions in the coming weeks as Nigeria navigates its position in the global tech landscape.

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US sends troops to Nigeria

The top commander made the confirmation during a press briefing, yesterday, but did not provide further details about the size and scope of their mission.

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The general in charge of the U.S. command for Africa (AFRICOM), General Dagvin Anderson, confirmed that United States has sent troops to Nigeria.

The top commander made the confirmation during a press briefing, yesterday, but did not provide further details about the size and scope of their mission.

He emphasised that the decision to send troops to Nigeria was after both countries agreed that more needed to be done to combat the terrorist threat in West Africa.

“That has led to increased collaboration between our nations to include a small US team that brings some unique capabilities from the United States,” General Anderson said.

According to Reuters, Nigeria’s Defense Minister, Christopher Musa, confirmed that a team was working in Nigeria but did not provide further details.

The development is the first acknowledgment of U.S. forces on the ground since US airstrikes targeting terrorists in Nigeria’s North-West on Christmas Day, 2025.

President Donald Trump, who announced that he ordered the airstrikes on what he described as Islamic State targets, had said there could be more U.S. military action in Nigeria.

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How To Treat Snake Bites

Snake bite is not a home -treatable condition; only hospital treatment can saves life.

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Snake bite is not a home -treatable condition; only hospital treatment can saves life.

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