Nigeria has officially been removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list following successful implementation of a 19-point action plan to strengthen its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) framework. The decision was announced at the FATF October 2025 Plenary in Paris, France.
The country was placed on the grey list in February 2023 after the FATF identified strategic deficiencies in Nigeria’s AML/CFT systems. Over the past two years, the Federal Government collaborated with the FATF and the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa to address the gaps through legislative reforms, institutional strengthening, and enhanced inter-agency coordination.
Key reforms cited by the FATF include the enactment and enforcement of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Nigeria also operationalised the Beneficial Ownership Register and improved supervision of designated non-financial businesses and professions.
Announcing the delisting on Friday, the Director/CEO of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Hafsat Bakari, said the country had strengthened its intelligence and law enforcement agencies to detect, investigate, and prosecute financial crimes, while expanding international cooperation.
“The delisting of Nigeria underscores the country’s commitment to global standards in combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing,” Bakari said. “This milestone marks a historic moment in Nigeria’s fight against serious financial crimes.”
Bakari highlighted sustained efforts to enhance financial transparency, including improved supervision of public and private sector entities, stronger preventive measures, and cross-border intelligence sharing with regional and global partners.
A high-level Nigerian delegation, including the Attorney-General, Ministers of Finance and Interior, and the NFIU Director, represented the country at the plenary. Bakari described the delisting as “a true test of Nigeria’s resilience, coordination, and unwavering commitment to reform.”
She also commended President Bola Tinubu for his leadership and thanked key government institutions, the National Assembly, judiciary, and private sector partners for their roles in achieving the milestone.
Bakari urged stakeholders to sustain reform efforts to ensure Nigeria remains compliant with international financial integrity standards.
At the same plenary, Burkina Faso, Mozambique, and South Africa were also removed from the FATF grey list.