UNODC backs EFCC with five-year strategy to tackle organized crime in Nigeria
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has pledged continued support for Nigeria’s anti-graft efforts through a renewed strategic partnership with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
This was disclosed during a courtesy visit by a UNODC delegation led by Country Representative, Mr. Cheick Ousman Toure, to EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, July 29.
Toure highlighted UNODC’s shift from short-term support to a long-term country programme, which will serve as a five-year blueprint for collaboration with Nigeria. He noted Nigeria’s leading role in implementing global frameworks like the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC).
“Now, we are moving from ad-hoc interventions to a jointly developed country programme, approved by the UN, as our five-year roadmap for Nigeria,” he said. Toure also emphasized the need to address illicit financial flows that cost Africa billions annually, with Nigeria positioned to lead regional efforts in combating the menace.
He pointed to cybercrime, illegal mining, and weak enforcement at state levels as key areas where UNODC seeks deeper engagement with the EFCC. He praised Nigeria’s alignment with the Budapest Convention and pledged to help the Commission strengthen intelligence-sharing and operational capacity.
In response, EFCC Chairman Olukoyede welcomed the renewed partnership and commended UNODC for its longstanding support. He stressed the need to broaden cooperation in response to evolving transnational threats. “Our doors are always open to this kind of collaboration,” he said.
Olukoyede also disclosed the Commission’s plans to reduce reliance on foreign aid by implementing home-grown funding solutions to support its operations. “We believe we do not necessarily have to depend on foreign aid,” he said.
On regional cooperation, Olukoyede referenced EFCC’s leadership in the Network of Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA) and urged the UNODC to help establish a secure intelligence-sharing platform to tackle transnational crime across jurisdictions.
