The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference (AGC) 2025 has officially commenced, convening lawyers, policymakers, and development partners to deliberate on critical issues shaping Nigeria’s legal and governance landscape.
At this year’s conference, the African Center is spotlighting its strong partnership with the NBA through a series of anti-corruption and compliance initiatives. A central feature of this collaboration is the NBA Anti-Money Laundering (NBA-AML) Portal, developed with support from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and in partnership with the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ).
The NBA-AML Portal is a one-stop digital platform designed to simplify AML/CFT compliance for legal practitioners across Nigeria. It equips lawyers with practical tools to strengthen accountability and fulfill statutory obligations. Key features include:
- Real-Time Reporting: Seamless filing of Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs).
- Client Due Diligence Tools: Compliance support with the Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC) 2023.
- Resource Library: Access to guidelines, training materials, and compliance resources.
- Interactive Training Modules: Self-paced e-courses and webinars.
The Portal emerged as a direct outcome of the Legal Sector AML/CFT/PF Risk Assessment Report, 2024, which recommended establishing a centralized platform to strengthen compliance within Nigeria’s legal profession. This digital tool now enables lawyers to file STRs, access learning resources, and enhance monitoring and accountability in line with global standards.
More details on this collaboration are featured in the AGC 2025 brochure (page 19).
In addition, as part of the FCDO-supported 2025/26 activities, the African Center and the NBA launched Episode 1 of
a nationwide monthly webinar series on AML/CFT compliance, titled “AML/CFT Compliance: A Non-Negotiable for Law
Firms.” The session engaged lawyers across Nigeria on practical strategies to strengthen compliance and professional
accountability, setting the stage for continuous professional learning.
The webinar pursued three interconnected goals:
- Providing lawyers with a clear understanding of AML/CFT fundamentals, Nigeria’s regulatory framework, and the profession’s critical role in safeguarding integrity and professional growth.
- Simplifying regulatory requirements while equipping lawyers with tools for risk assessment, suspicious activity reporting, and navigating complex ownership and sanctions evasion schemes.
- Demonstrating how robust compliance and asset recovery practices can enhance competitiveness, foster practice growth, and position asset recovery as both a professional duty and a revenue-generating opportunity.
The African Center emphasized that the monthly webinar series forms part of a sustained effort to equip Nigerian legal practitioners with the knowledge and tools required to combat illicit financial flows and align with global compliance standards. Additional training sessions and stakeholder engagements are scheduled in the months ahead.
