Nigeria celebrates the European Commission's decision to remove the country from the EU's high-risk list for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT). This significant milestone is a result of Nigeria's successful completion of its FATF Action Plan, which led to its removal from the FATF list of Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring in October 2025. The Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, attributes this achievement to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's exceptional leadership, unwavering political will, and clear reform vision. President Tinubu's decisive approach fostered strong inter-agency coordination, sustained engagement with international partners, and the implementation of critical legal, regulatory, and institutional reforms, addressing strategic deficiencies in Nigeria's AML/CFT framework. The European Commission's assessment confirms that Nigeria has significantly enhanced the effectiveness of its AML/CFT regime and satisfactorily addressed the technical and strategic deficiencies highlighted by the FATF. As a result, Nigeria has been removed from the EU's high-risk list, alongside other jurisdictions that have demonstrated similar progress. This development boosts Nigeria's global financial credibility, easing enhanced due diligence requirements for Nigerian entities transacting with European counterparts, improving correspondent banking relationships, enhancing investor confidence, and integrating Nigeria further into the international financial system. Mr. Edun commends the collective efforts of all stakeholders, including financial sector regulators, law enforcement agencies, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, supervisory authorities, the judiciary, and private sector operators, whose professionalism and commitment were instrumental to the successful reform outcomes. While welcoming this decision, Mr. Edun reassures that Nigeria remains committed to sustaining and deepening AML/CFT reforms, working closely with the FATF, the European Union, and other international partners to ensure a resilient, transparent, and globally aligned financial system. The removal of Nigeria from both the FATF grey list and the European Union's high-risk list sends a positive signal to the global community, indicating Nigeria's commitment to reform, transparency, and economic renewal under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's leadership.
