The African Center for Governance, Asset Recovery and Sustainable Development has welcomed the decision by the Bailiwick of Jersey to return over $9.5 million in recovered proceeds of corruption to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, describing the development as a significant milestone in international cooperation against illicit financial flows and cross-border corruption.
The Center commends the authorities of Jersey and the Government of Nigeria for the successful conclusion of this asset return process, which reflects the growing effectiveness of civil forfeiture regimes and mutual legal assistance frameworks in tracing, confiscating, and repatriating stolen public funds.
The Center noted that asset recovery is not merely a legal exercise; it is a development imperative. When public funds are stolen, communities lose access to essential infrastructure, healthcare, education, and economic opportunities. The return of these funds, reportedly earmarked for the completion of the Abuja–Kano Road, reinforces the principle that stolen assets must be restored to the people from whom they were taken.
The African Center emphasizes that repatriation must be accompanied by full transparency, public accountability, and independent monitoring to ensure that recovered assets are used strictly for their intended developmental purposes. Experience across jurisdictions shows that without robust safeguards, repatriated funds remain vulnerable to re-looting, mismanagement, or politicization.
This case also highlights the importance of strong legal tools such as non-conviction-based asset forfeiture, international cooperation, and proactive financial intelligence mechanisms. The Center highlighted the need to institutionalize transparent reporting on the utilization of all repatriated assets and to strengthen domestic frameworks for asset management, tracking, and public disclosure. Doing so will deepen public trust and reinforce Nigeria’s leadership role in the global fight against illicit financial flows. We further call on other international financial centers and jurisdictions to emulate Jersey’s approach by actively collaborating with African countries to return stolen wealth and close loopholes that enable illicit capital flight.
We remain committed to supporting Nigeria and other African states through research, advocacy, capacity-building, and policy engagement to ensure that asset recovery translates into real, measurable development outcomes for citizens.
Signed:
African Center for Governance, Asset Recovery and Sustainable Development
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