BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
Participants at a meeting on Nigeria's upcoming Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) mutual evaluation at the Customs headquarters in Abuja.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has hailed Nigeria's exit from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list as a major national achievement, pledging to sustain the fight against money laundering.
Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi stated this at a stocktaking meeting held at the Customs headquarters in Abuja, in preparation for Nigeria's upcoming Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) mutual evaluation.
He stated that the gathering was more than an assessment of policies and procedures, describing it as a crucial assignment to chart the way forward.
"It is an opportunity to take an honest look at the progress Nigeria has made so far, identify the gaps that presently exist and ensure that Nigeria's achievements are sustained, because if they are not, it is like one step forward, two steps backwards, and that should not be our portion," he added.
He praised the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) for its series of measures and programmes, including the stocktaking exercise, aimed at making Nigeria's journey into the third mutual evaluation smooth and successful.
Adeniyi, who was represented by the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Finance, Administration and Technical Services, DCG Kikelomo Adeola stated that the NCS, as the institution responsible for moving goods and facilitating legitimate trade across borders, holds a strategic position but cannot succeed alone.
The Chief Executive Officer of the NFIU, Hafsat Abubakar said that stocktaking was an opportunity to assess progress, identify outstanding gaps and strengthen collective readiness for the next evaluation on how institutions implemented the standards that protect the country's financial integrity.
Abubakar, who was represented by the Chief Operations Officer, Law Enforcement Support and Coordination, Emmanuel Sotande informed that Nigeria's exit from the FATF grey list in October 2025 was a significant achievement that should be sustained by all the stakeholders.
He noted that the NCS plays a role in Nigeria's anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing and counter-proliferation framework that goes beyond its core duties of revenue collection, trade facilitation and border enforcement.
"Customs plays a vital role in detecting suspicious transactions and activities across borders," he said, explaining that the Service's access to trade records, import and export documentation, cargo information and border intelligence complements the financial intelligence gathered by the NFIU.
"When these capabilities are effectively connected through timely information sharing and coordinated action, we are better positioned to identify suspicious networks, trace illicit proceeds and support appropriate enforcement measures," he added.
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