The European Union has removed Nigeria from its list of high-risk third countries linked to money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing, easing enhanced scrutiny on financial transactions between Nigeria and EU member states.
The decision is contained in the European Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) C (2025) 8460, adopted on December 4, 2025, and scheduled to take effect from January 29, 2026. The update follows resolutions reached at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Plenary held in October 2025.
The development was confirmed on Friday by the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Hafsat Abubakar Bakari.
In addition to Nigeria, the regulation also removes Burkina Faso, Mali, Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania from the EU’s high-risk list after the countries exited the FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring.
According to the European Commission, the delisted countries strengthened their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) frameworks, addressed key technical and operational deficiencies, and fulfilled commitments under their respective FATF Action Plans. These reforms led to their removal from the FATF grey list in June and October 2025.
Nigeria’s delisting reflects reforms implemented under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, whose administration prioritised financial system integrity, improved inter-agency collaboration and alignment with international compliance standards.
The reform process involved extensive cooperation among the National Assembly, law enforcement agencies, financial regulators, supervisory bodies, the judiciary, private sector stakeholders and international development partners.
Reacting to the development, Bakari said the EU’s decision validates Nigeria’s reform trajectory.
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“This decision represents a significant external validation of Nigeria’s sustained progress in strengthening its AML/CFT/CPF framework,” she said.
“It demonstrates that consistent reforms, effective coordination and strong national ownership can produce meaningful international outcomes.”
The NFIU noted that Nigeria’s removal from the high-risk list is expected to reduce compliance-related challenges, improve cross-border financial flows and boost the country’s attractiveness for trade and investment.
Bakari added that the implications extend beyond regulatory relief.
“Beyond the immediate economic benefits, this outcome reinforces global confidence in Nigeria’s financial system and underscores our position as a responsible and cooperative member of the international financial community,” she said.
She further stressed that while the achievement is worth celebrating, it comes with the responsibility to sustain progress.
“This milestone reflects a collective national effort. However, all stakeholders must remain vigilant, avoid complacency and continue strengthening systems to address evolving financial crime risks,” Bakari added.
The NFIU reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing collaboration with the FATF, GIABA, the European Union and other international partners, as well as sustained engagement with domestic stakeholders to further enhance Nigeria’s financial integrity framework.
