The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) has officially launched a policy framework to assess Nigeria’s compliance with key Global Forum on Asset Recovery (GFAR) principles.
ANEEJ Executive Director, Rev. David Ugolor while speaking at the launch in Abuja described the GFAR principle launch as a bold step toward strengthening transparency, accountability, and justice in Nigeria’s asset recovery and management framework.
He pointed out that the policy brief was a result of a six-month research project supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) to provide a comprehensive evaluation of Nigeria’s adherence to the GFAR principles over the past five years.
Ugolor said, “These principles are not just guidelines—they are commitments Nigeria has made on the global stage, this research holds the mirror to our system, identifying both achievements and critical gaps, and offering practical recommendations to drive reform.”
The GFAR principles were adopted in 2017 by countries including Nigeria, the U.S., the U.K., Ukraine, Sri Lanka, and Tunisia, as the principle emphasize the return of stolen assets in a transparent, accountable, and inclusive manner, ensuring assets are not diverted or misused.
Ugolor highlighted Nigeria’s track record includes major asset repatriations such as $322.5 million and $311.8 million in Abacha loot, as well as the return of $954,807.40 in proceeds from the Alamieyeseigha case, saying a comprehensive review of how these recoveries align with the GFAR framework was long overdue.
He stated that the research evaluated the implementation of principles on transparency, civil society inclusion, benefit to victims, and ensuring offenders are not rewarded, adding that the findings was validated through extensive consultations across Abuja, Asaba, Bayelsa, and Lagos.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to supporting Nigeria’s anti-corruption and asset recovery efforts, highlighting the importance of civil society, transparency, and international cooperation in ensuring stolen assets are returned and used to benefit citizens.
Speaking at the launch the Lead Block Government and Stability FCDO Mr William Robinson acknowledged the central role of both government and civil society in fighting corruption.
He stated “The UK has a long history of collaboration with Nigeria in tackling corruption, dating back to the return of democracy in 1999,, We have worked closely with anti-corruption agencies to build capacity for detection, investigation, and prosecution of economic crimes.”
The UK official also underscored the role of civil society in promoting transparency, noting that government partnerships must go hand in hand with strong civic engagement. “Citizens must be able to see how government operates and constructively challenge anti-corruption efforts. Initiatives such as the Open Government Partnership and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative have been key in enabling this,” they said.
Addressing the topic of asset recovery, the representative emphasized that the effective return and use of stolen assets is essential to delivering justice and restoring public trust. “Putting stolen funds towards public goods and services ensures anti-corruption efforts have real impact on the lives of ordinary citizens,” they stated.
While both Nigeria and the UK have made notable progress through domestic legislation and asset recovery actions, challenges remain. He acknowledged that asset return processes have not always advanced with the speed or transparency expected, citing complex legal proceedings and limited resources in law enforcement as key barriers.
“Asset recovery and return from financial centres like the UK must become more efficient and accountable. We recognise that Nigeria also faces similar challenges in ensuring coordination across its institutions,” the official said.
The UK government expressed support for the ANEEJ-led project as a step toward addressing these challenges. “Through this research, we aim to generate insights into how GFAR principles are being applied in Nigeria, and how asset recovery and management can be strengthened. More broadly, we hope this will help reignite national and international public engagement on this vital issue.”
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