The African Center for Governance, Asset Recovery and Sustainable Development, held a One-Day Training of Trainers (ToT) Workshop on Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Compliance and Use of the NBA-AML Portal at the Tahir Guest Palace, Kano.
The workshop brought together members of the NBA from nine branches in Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, and Katsina State, for an intensive training session designed to:
- Build lawyers’ knowledge and skills on Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) compliance.
- Equip selected trainers with the capacity to cascade learning across NBA branches nationwide.
- Strengthen compliance culture in line with global standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).
Participants were taken through practical lectures on the fundamentals of AML/CFT for legal practitioners, applying the risk-based approach through effective Know Your Customer (KYC) and customer due diligence, as well as AML compliance procedures and the use of the NBA-AML Portal. Facilitators emphasized that the training goes beyond regulatory obligations, noting that it is ultimately about safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s legal profession. The session also provided hands-on guidance on how to use the NBA’s dedicated AML Portal (https://nbaaml.com), a tool designed to seamlessly file Suspicious Transactions Reports and simplify compliance obligations under both national and international regulations.
The training forms part of the ongoing project, “Tackling Illicit Financial Flows through Asset Recovery, Management, and Strengthening ML/CFT/PF Compliance in Nigeria,” funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) with support from project partner, the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ).
Through this initiative, the African Center and the NBA Anti-Money Laundering Committee are working to strengthen Nigeria’s response to illicit financial flows, improve asset recovery and management systems, and promote stronger compliance within the legal profession. The ToT is a crucial step in scaling up compliance awareness nationwide, as trained participants will return to deliver step-down sessions, ensuring that more lawyers across the country benefit.
With Nigeria still working to exit the FATF grey list, initiatives like this workshop underscore the legal profession’s pivotal role in advancing transparency, accountability, and integrity.
