EU Removes Nigeria From High-Risk AML/CFT List

Nigeria has been removed from the European Union’s (EU) list of high-risk third countries under its Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework, marking a major boost to the country’s financial integrity reforms.

The delisting was contained in the European Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) C (2025) 8460, adopted on December 4, 2025, in line with updates issued by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) at its October 2025 Plenary.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Hafsat Bakari, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday.

She said the regulation will take effect from January 29, and also confirmed 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.

According to Bakari, the delisted countries, including Nigeria, strengthened the effectiveness of their AML/CFT regimes, closed critical technical and operational gaps and fulfilled commitments under their FATF Action Plans.

She said the reforms culminated in Nigeria’s removal from the FATF grey list in June and October 2025.

Bakari noted that Nigeria’s delisting reflects what stakeholders described as strong political will and leadership under President Bola Tinubu, whose administration prioritised financial system integrity, inter-agency coordination and compliance with international standards.

She added that the achievement was driven by sustained collaboration among key stakeholders, including the National Assembly, law enforcement agencies, regulators and supervisors, the judiciary, the private sector and development partners.

Describing the decision as a significant affirmation of Nigeria’s reform efforts, Bakari 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.”