NFIU Applauds EU Removal Of Nigeria From High-risk Financial List

The Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has applauded the removal of Nigeria from the list of high-risk third countries by the European Union (EU) under the EU Anti-money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework.

LEADERSHIP Weekend recalled that the EU had on Thursday announced the official removal of Nigeria from its list of high-risk third countries.

The removal is contained in the European Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) C (2025) 8460, adopted on December 4, 2025, in line with updates by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) from its October 2025 plenary.

The regulation, which takes effect from January 29, 2026, also confirms the removal of Burkina Faso, Mali, Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania from the EU high-risk list, following their successful exit from the FATF list of Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring after addressing identified strategic AML/CFT deficiencies.

Reacting to the development, the chief executive officer of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, Hafsat Abubakar Bakari said the decision is a significant affirmation of Nigeria’s collective reform efforts.

She said, “This decision represents an important external validation of Nigeria’s steady progress in strengthening its AML/CFT/CPF framework”.

It demonstrates that consistent reforms, effective coordination and strong national ownership can translate into tangible international outcomes.”

The NFIU further said Nigeria’s removal from the EU high-risk list means that financial transactions between Nigeria and the EU will no longer be subject to enhanced due diligence requirements associated with high-risk jurisdictions.

This is expected to ease compliance burdens, support smoother cross-border financial flows, and enhance Nigeria’s attractiveness for trade, investment and financial partnerships with EU Member States.

The NFIU boss also added that

“Nigeria’s removal from the EU list reflects the strong political will and leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,  whose administration prioritised financial system integrity, inter-agency coordination and compliance with international standards.

“The achievement is also the result of sustained collaboration among key stakeholders, including the National Assembly, law enforcement agencies, regulators, supervisors, the judiciary, the private sector and development partners.”