Press Statement
International Anti-Corruption Day 2025 – African Center Calls for Unity, Youth Leadership, and Justice.
Abuja, Nigeria – December 9, 2025 – The African Center for Governance, Asset Recovery, and Sustainable Development (African Center) joins the global community in marking the United Nations International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) 2025, reaffirming its commitment to advancing integrity, accountability, and justice across Africa.
This year’s global theme, “Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity,” underscores the indispensable role of young people in building a future defined by transparency, ethical leadership, and strong institutions. The African Center welcomes this focus and calls on Nigerians and Africans everywhere to equip and empower youth as catalysts for honest governance.
Corruption remains one of Africa’s most significant impediments to development, undermining public trust, weakening service delivery, and diverting resources meant for education, healthcare, infrastructure, and livelihoods. It is not merely a legal infraction; it is a profound violation of human dignity and social justice, particularly for the poor and vulnerable. By working together—government, civil society, private sector, youth, and citizens—we can transform systems and cultivate a culture of integrity that restores confidence in public institutions.
Across Africa and within Nigeria, momentum for reform is growing. There is a deepening recognition that corruption cannot be defeated without unity of purpose and a deliberate commitment to nurturing the next generation of leaders. This aligns closely with this year’s theme, which calls for amplifying the voices, creativity, and civic leadership of young people. International partners, including the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), have acknowledged Nigeria’s reform efforts to strengthen anti–money laundering frameworks and combat illicit financial flows—efforts that reinforce the nation’s renewed dedication to integrity.
The African Center is proud to contribute to this progress. In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Nigerian Bar Association Anti-Money Laundering Committee, civil society, and our global partners and donors, the Center continues to drive forward national policy reforms. Our work on AML/CFT frameworks, asset recovery systems, and youth-focused sensitization initiatives—including recent outreach to the Nigerian Law School to sensitize young lawyers on AML/CFT—reflects our commitment to empowering young people to shape tomorrow’s integrity. We also remain steadfast advocates for the repatriation of stolen African assets under UNCAC and the African Union’s Common African Position on Asset Recovery (CAPAR), ensuring that recovered wealth is transparently reinvested into communities, public services, and future generations.
Our Key Calls to Action
1. Empower Youth and Communities
Young people must be placed at the center of anti-corruption efforts. Through education, civic engagement, technology-driven reporting platforms, and youth-led watchdog initiatives, their creativity and courage can reshape Africa’s governance landscape.
2. Strengthen Legal Frameworks and Asset Recovery Systems
Governments should fully implement international anti-corruption conventions, enforce robust prosecution standards, and ensure transparent public procurement. Recovered assets must be reinvested in social services to rebuild trust and support sustainable development.
3. Protect Human Rights and Human Dignity
Anti-corruption measures must uphold fairness, due process, and equal treatment. No group should be marginalized in the name of enforcement. Integrity efforts must reflect compassion, justice, and inclusion.
4. Advance Regional and International Cooperation
Stronger partnerships with UNODC, GIABA, donor agencies, and regional governments are essential. Stronger nations must support African countries by repatriating stolen assets and cooperating in financial investigations.
5. Lead by Example
The private sector, media, civil society, and every citizen share responsibility for building a transparent society. Companies must enforce zero-tolerance compliance standards; journalists and NGOs must be free to expose wrongdoing; governments must prioritize budget openness and contract transparency.
Our Collective Commitment
Corruption is not inevitable; it is a choice. And integrity is also a choice. On this International Anti-Corruption Day, we honor the resilience of activists, whistleblowers, reformers, and everyday citizens who insist on justice.
The African Center reaffirms its dedication to research, policy support, training, and advocacy to strengthen institutions that safeguard public wealth and promote sustainable development across Africa.
United, we can build a Nigeria and an Africa where public resources serve the public good, where institutions uphold the rule of law, and where the dignity of every person is protected.
Together, we can defeat corruption and secure a brighter, more equitable future for our continent.
Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu
Executive Director
African Center for Governance, Asset Recovery, and Sustainable Development
📧 Email: info@africancenterdev.org
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