By Nkechi Eze
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Judicial Institute (NJI) have called for comprehensive legal and procedural reforms to address delays and abuse of court processes in the trial of corruption and other economic and financial crimes cases in Nigeria.
The call was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the 8th Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges, held in Abuja from October 13 to 15, 2026, with the theme, “Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Financial Crimes in a Digital Age.”
According to an official statement signed by the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the workshop brought together judicial officers, investigators and prosecutors to examine challenges in the investigation, prosecution and adjudication of economic and financial crimes.
Participants recommended the designation of specialised judges and court staff to handle corruption cases, alongside targeted training to strengthen their capacity for the effective and consistent application of existing laws.
They expressed confidence that the measures would significantly reduce delays in the resolution of corruption cases and improve the efficiency of justice delivery.
The communiqué also stressed the need to strike a balance between protecting individual rights and ensuring the speedy administration of justice, recommending a review of relevant provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) where necessary.
On the quality of investigations and prosecutions, participants called for stronger investigative standards and improved digital evidence management protocols across relevant agencies to ensure that cases are built on credible, reliable and admissible evidence.
They further recommended a coordinated approach to obtaining confessional statements, including the institutionalisation of video recording and other safeguards to protect the rights of suspects and preserve the integrity of investigations.
The participants also described non-conviction-based asset forfeiture as an effective mechanism for recovering stolen assets but emphasised that its application must comply with existing legal provisions, human rights standards and appropriate institutional oversight.
They called for procedural reforms to facilitate extensions of time for freezing suspected proceeds of financial crimes.
On the growing role of technology in the justice system, the communiqué recommended that Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the anti-corruption sector collaborate with the National Assembly and the Judiciary to develop governance protocols and policy guidelines for the adoption and deployment of artificial intelligence in the administration of justice.
Participants also urged stakeholders to familiarise themselves with existing laws and regulations governing financial crimes involving virtual assets, including the Investment and Securities Act, 2025; the Executive Order on Virtual Assets Coordination, 2026; the Rules on Digital and Virtual Assets Operations, 2026; and the Proceeds of Crime Act, 2022.
They underscored the need for increased investment in digital forensic laboratories, technology infrastructure and specialised training for investigators, prosecutors and judicial officers to keep pace with evolving methods of committing financial crimes.
The communiqué further recommended continuous professional development for judicial officers and personnel of anti-corruption agencies. It proposed that the NJI, working with the National Judicial Council (NJC), develop accredited certificate and diploma programmes to strengthen the capacity of judges and other relevant stakeholders, subject to the need for legislative review.
On the use of open-source intelligence, participants advised investigators, prosecutors and judicial officers to treat such information primarily as a source of investigative leads and corroboration, while ensuring that any material relied upon in court complies with applicable evidential rules.
They also called for sustained coordination among stakeholders in the administration of criminal justice, particularly in sharing information on emerging trends in the investigation and prosecution of economic and financial crimes in the digital age.
Heads of courts were urged to leverage the knowledge gained from the workshop to develop policies clarifying practice on the technical issues discussed.
The three-day workshop featured nine interactive sessions covering the admissibility of confessional statements, garnishee proceedings, delay tactics and abuse of court processes, non-conviction-based asset forfeiture, artificial intelligence in investigations and prosecutions, the recovery and management of virtual assets, and the use of digital forensics in financial crime cases.
Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, judges of the Federal High Court, State High Courts and the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, alongside other stakeholders in the judiciary and anti-corruption sector, participated in the workshop.
Participants expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, as well as other stakeholders and organisers for their contributions to the success of the workshop.
