The African Center for Governance, Asset Recovery and Sustainable Development, in collaboration with the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), has engaged the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to strengthen Nigeria’s fight against illicit financial flows (IFFs) and improve enforcement of the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act (POCA), 2022. The advocacy visit, held at the CCB headquarters in Abuja, is part of the ongoing project titled “Tackling Illicit Financial Flows through Asset Recovery and Management, and Countering Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing, and Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/PF)”. The initiative is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the UK Government.
Leading the delegation, ANEEJ and the African Center emphasized the importance of supporting the Bureau’s mandate under POCA, while conducting a Technical Needs Assessment (TNA) to identify technical gaps and capacity-building needs.
Speaking on behalf of the African Center, Barr. Esther Agbaje, representing Professor Smart Uti, the Team Lead of the Technical Needs Assessment (TNA), explained that the visit was designed to evaluate the Bureau’s operational capacity and develop tailored interventions.
“Our Technical Needs Assessment is designed to provide evidence-based insights into the specific challenges facing POCA-designated agencies like the CCB. This will allow us to design fit-for-purpose solutions that strengthen asset recovery systems and ensure sustainable impact,” she noted.
Responding, Dr. Abdullahi Usman Bello, Chairman of the CCB, welcomed the partnership, reaffirming the Bureau’s commitment to collaboration with civil society in driving Nigeria’s anti-corruption agenda.
“As Nigeria’s foremost constitutionally established anti-corruption agency, the Code of Conduct Bureau is committed to working closely with partners like ANEEJ and the African Center to ensure the full implementation of POCA. Strengthening our capacity is central to fulfilling this mandate,” he stated.
Also speaking, Mr. Ifeanyi Okorocha, Director overseeing POCA-related matters at the CCB, described the initiative as timely and in line with the Bureau’s current priorities on asset recovery and management.
The visit marks a significant milestone in building inter-agency collaboration, enhancing the capacity of Nigeria’s anti-corruption institutions, and promoting accountability in the management of recovered assets.
About the Project:
The Technical Needs Assessment (TNA) funded by the FCDO, through ANEEJ, has so far covered NAPTIP, NDLEA, the Federal Ministry of Justice, ICPC, and the Nigeria Police Force, to generate an evidence-based baseline for targeted interventions across all POCA institutions.
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