By Nkechi Eze
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, has called for a more coordinated and collaborative regional framework to strengthen asset recovery efforts across West Africa. He emphasized that the fight against corruption and illicit financial flows in the subregion requires collective action, information sharing, and mutual trust among anti-corruption institutions.
According to an official statement by the Director of Public Enlightenment and Education of the ICPC, Mr. Demola Bakare, Dr. Aliyu made the call on Tuesday while delivering his remarks at the 7th Annual General Assembly (AGA) of the Network of Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA), held at the ECOWAS Secretariat in Abuja.
Describing the Assembly’s theme, “A United ECOWAS Against Corruption: Strengthening Regional Collaboration for Asset Recovery and Exchange of Information,” as both timely and urgent, the ICPC Chairman urged West African countries to reinforce existing cooperation mechanisms to effectively trace, recover, and repatriate stolen assets.
“Asset recovery is most effective when driven by regional and international cooperation anchored on mutual trust, legal reciprocity, and operational synergy among anti-corruption agencies,” Dr. Aliyu stated.
He noted that collaboration among NACIWA member states remains central to the shared vision of tracking illicit assets and ensuring that the collective prosperity of the subregion benefits its people. “A unified, harmonized regional approach will enable us to track illicit gains swiftly and prevent their reinvestment within the ECOWAS sub-region,” he added.
Highlighting ICPC’s achievements in both criminal and non-conviction-based forfeiture mechanisms, Dr. Aliyu said several significant recoveries have been recorded in Nigeria. However, he stressed that domestic successes alone are insufficient to curb the magnitude of illicit financial flows without robust regional and global cooperation.
Representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Assembly, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to ECOWAS and NACIWA’s anti-corruption agenda. The President, in his message, described asset recovery as a central pillar of the region’s anti-corruption strategy and a necessary step toward restoring West Africa’s economic vitality.
“Recovery of stolen assets is indeed at the core of the region’s fight against corruption. West Africa’s post-independence economic and political trajectory has been blighted by corruption manifesting in the theft and stashing of our commonwealth abroad by corrupt officials,” President Tinubu said.
He further warned that illicit financial outflows, resource theft, and the smuggling of mineral wealth continue to fuel insecurity, the proliferation of small arms, kidnapping, and banditry, factors that collectively threaten regional peace and sustainable development. “These challenges have worsened the security and development outlook of our region,” he cautioned, urging the Assembly to develop a new, inclusive framework for joint anti-corruption action.
In his own remarks, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and President of NACIWA, Barrister Ola Olukoyede, noted that the Annual General Assembly provides a unique platform for reflection, evaluation, and strategic planning. He said it enables member states to assess collective progress, identify emerging challenges, and chart new directions for enhanced collaboration.
The 7th NACIWA Annual General Assembly brought together heads of anti-corruption agencies, Attorneys-General, and senior delegates from across the West African subregion, including the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, among other dignitaries.
The event reaffirmed the shared determination of ECOWAS member states to deepen anti-corruption cooperation and ensure that recovered assets are utilized for the collective development and prosperity of West Africa.
