The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit says Nigeria has recorded major progress in tracking and disrupting terrorism financing and organised crime through stronger financial intelligence systems.
Chief Executive Officer of the NFIU, Hafsat Bakari, said this on Friday in Abuja during the validation exercise for Nigeria’s first National Organised Crime Strategy Document.
Bakari said Nigeria had moved beyond simply meeting international technical requirements.
According to her, the country is now focused on delivering measurable outcomes in the fight against terrorism financing, illicit financial flows and organised criminal networks.
She said crimes such as terrorism, drug trafficking, cybercrime, human trafficking, kidnapping and illegal mining are sustained by illegal financial networks.
Bakari noted that following the money trail remains one of the most effective ways to identify criminal groups, expose their sponsors and disrupt planned attacks.
She said financial intelligence helps security agencies detect facilitators, trace transactions and weaken the economic base of organised crime.
The NFIU boss disclosed that the agency created a dedicated Organised Crime Department in 2024.
She said the department was established to track illicit financial flows within Nigeria and across international financial systems.
According to her, intelligence from the department has supported investigations by the Nigeria Police Force, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
She added that the NFIU also works with financial intelligence units in 186 countries.
Bakari said Nigeria had already taken important steps, but stressed that the national response must be better coordinated than the criminal networks being confronted.
She warned that no single agency can defeat organised crime alone.
The NFIU chief called for deeper cooperation among intelligence bodies, regulators, financial institutions, law enforcement agencies and international partners.
Also speaking, Sa’ad Abubakar, National Coordinator of the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre under the Office of the National Security Adviser, said organised crime had become increasingly connected.
Abubakar said cybercrime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, migrant smuggling and illicit financial flows often depend on the same networks and weaknesses.
He said these crimes exploit financial systems, governance gaps and technology to expand their operations.
According to him, Nigeria’s proposed National Organised Crime Strategy adopts a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.
He said the strategy is built around prevention, prosecution, protection and partnership.
Abubakar disclosed that 13 government agencies contributed to the development of the document.
He said the level of participation showed the importance of coordinated national action against organised crime.
The NCCC coordinator added that the strategy assigns clear institutional responsibilities and measurable performance indicators.
He said these measures are intended to support effective implementation and accountability.
Abubakar said the validated document would be submitted to the National Security Adviser before being forwarded to the Presidency.
He urged stakeholders to ensure that the strategy remains practical, measurable and flexible enough to respond to emerging threats, including those linked to artificial intelligence.
The validation exercise was attended by representatives of security and intelligence agencies, development partners, civil society organisations and international partners.
The event marked a key step in Nigeria’s effort to strengthen its national response to terrorism financing, illicit financial flows and organised crime.
