A one-day Training of Trainers Workshop on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) was held on Thursday, 6 November 2025, in Lagos State, convening representatives from Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) branches across Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo States. The workshop, organized by the African Center for Governance, Asset Recovery and Sustainable Development, in collaboration with the NBA Anti-Money Laundering Committee, aimed to deepen lawyers’ capacity to implement AML/CFT measures within the legal profession.
The workshop, which has now been held across geopolitical zones, has brought together representatives from over 45 NBA branches nationwide, including those from Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo States in the South-West zone. It sought to build the capacity of lawyers to detect and report suspicious financial activity, enhance asset recovery skills, and strengthen compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards. The initiative forms part of the African Center’s ongoing effort in promoting integrity, accountability, and transparency within Nigeria’s legal profession.
Technical sessions were delivered by Barr. Hadassah Igoche-Agbaje, Dr. Maryam Idris Abdulkadir, Assistant Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association Anti-Money Laundering Committee, and Barr. Augustine Nwabueze Eseagwu III, who led discussions on global and regional AML/CFT frameworks, Know Your Customer (KYC) and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) procedures, reporting obligations, and ethical compliance. Participants also received practical training on the NBA-Anti-Money Laundering Portal, where they gained hands-on experience in digital reporting and compliance monitoring.
The NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, represented by Augustine Nwabueze Eseagwu III, in his remarks, reaffirmed the Association’s commitment to strengthening AML/CFT compliance within the legal profession. He emphasized that “the legal profession must never be weaponized against the integrity of Nigeria’s financial system,” noting that the workshop reinforces the NBA’s determination to uphold ethical and professional standards. The NBA President commended the African Center for its consistent technical support and partnership in advancing the Association’s compliance agenda. He highlighted the NBA-AML Portal as a landmark step in professional self-regulation, providing tools for Suspicious Transaction Reporting (STR), record-keeping, and firm-level monitoring. He further noted that such initiatives align with national efforts to address Nigeria’s placement on the FATF grey list, adding that the legal profession plays a major role in reversing that status through increased compliance and transparency.
Mr. Jehanzeb Khan, Illicit Finance Adviser at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), commended the African Center and the NBA-AMLC for their sustained commitment to building a culture of compliance and professional integrity. He highlighted the importance of collaboration among regulatory bodies, professional associations, and development partners in helping Nigeria strengthen its anti-money laundering framework and progress toward exiting the FATF grey list.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the Executive Director of the African Center, Juliet Ibebaku-Nwagwu, the Deputy Project Director, Obialunanma Nnaobi-Ayodele, emphasized that lawyers play a critical role as frontline gatekeepers in combating financial crimes. She noted that the African Center remains committed to providing technical support, capacity development, and evidence-based advocacy to enhance the effectiveness of AML/CFT systems in Nigeria’s legal and financial sectors.
NBA branch representatives from Lagos (Eti-Osa, Surulere, Epe, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos, Ikorodu), Ogun (Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode, Otta, Shagamu, Ilaro), and Oyo (Ibadan, Saki, Ogbomosho, Oyo) participated in robust discussions, shared compliance experiences, and developed collaborative strategies for cascading AML/CFT knowledge across their branches.
This workshop marks another milestone in the ongoing efforts to build a more transparent and accountable legal profession, contributing to Nigeria’s broader anti-corruption and asset recovery objectives.
