Customs, WCO, EFCC Forge Stronger Alliance to Block Financial Crimes

​ABUJA — In a robust push to insulate Nigeria’s economy from illicit financial flows, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) have teamed up with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to fortify the nation’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) frameworks.

​The renewed multilateral synergy was formalized during a high-level strategic visit to the EFCC Headquarters in Jabi, Abuja. Led by the Assistant Controller General of Customs in charge of Headquarters, M.S. Shuaibu, the delegation met with commission leadership to evaluate existing institutional mechanisms and patch potential vulnerabilities.

​The diplomatic and operational engagement coincides with the recent rollout of the WCO capacity-building mission targeted at empowering the NCS to efficiently track, intercept, and dismantle transnational financial crimes.

​Closing Ranks Against Illicit Capital Flows

​Speaking during the visit, ACG Shuaibu lauded the anti-graft agency for its resilience and pivotal leadership in combating economic crimes. He emphasized that closer interaction between the agencies is vital for harmonizing domestic practices with global benchmarks.

​“The EFCC’s mandate as the lead agency in combating economic and financial crimes has been remarkable. We are here to engage in existing collaboration to identify what is working and what needs improvement. We will engage you on case management, intelligence sharing and operational synergy to better understand Nigeria’s AML/CFT framework, the WCO perspective and the recommended world best practices,” Shuaibu stated.

​Protecting Nigeria’s Global Financial Standing

​Welcoming the delegation on behalf of the EFCC Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, the Secretary to the Commission, Mohammad Hammajoda, noted that the partnership has historically yielded profound results, notably aiding Nigeria’s exit from the global financial grey list.

​Hammajoda stressed that preserving these hard-won reforms remains a paramount national security and economic priority.

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​“Nigeria was earlier listed among the non-compliant states with anti-money laundering frameworks, but with our own efforts and collaboration with other agencies, the country was delisted from the grey list. That has enabled us to travel and use our debit card seamlessly,” Hammajoda remarked.

​He reiterated that the EFCC, alongside Customs and international bodies like the WCO, remains vigilant to ensure that financial corridors are completely shut against money launderers and terror syndicates.

​A Unified Front for Future Operations

​The strategic parley concluded with firm commitments from all parties to scale up trilateral cooperation. Key areas prioritized for immediate expansion include cross-agency intelligence sharing, advanced personnel capacity building, and seamless operational coordination at air, land, and sea borders to secure Nigeria’s financial ecosystem.