EFCC hails UNODC’s new anti-corruption push for Nigeria
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has praised the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for prioritising corruption and illicit financial flows in its Country Programme for Nigeria 2026-2030.
Speaking at the programme’s launch in Abuja today, Olukoyede described corruption as “a heinous threat to national and global development,” adding that “every effort geared towards combating it is commendable.”
He highlighted the programme’s relevance amid rising threats like transnational organised crime, terrorism, and cyber offences.
“For the EFCC, the programme’s emphasis on combating corruption and illicit financial flows is particularly significant. Corruption continues to impose enormous economic and social costs on our country. Hence the imperatives of sustained action to turn the tide,” Olukoyede stated.
The EFCC boss noted how criminal networks exploit technology and global finance, urging “coordinated national responses, strong institutions and sustained international cooperation.”
Olukoyede commended the EFCC-UNODC partnership, saying the programme aligns with EFCC’s mandate through capacity building, inter-agency collaboration, and data-driven strategies to strengthen Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework.
UNODC emphasised Nigeria’s role “as Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation with a projected 400 million inhabitants by 2050,” positioning it to drive regional change.
The event attracted key figures from the judiciary, National Judicial Institute (NJI), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), and the Director of Public Prosecutions Federation (DPPF).
