WorldStage— President Bola Tinubu has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for its record-breaking achievements in combating financial crimes, recovering illicit assets and strengthening Nigeria’s international financial standing and called for stronger collaboration among all stakeholders in the anti-corruption corridor.
The President gave the applause in Abuja on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at the opening ceremony of the 8th EFCC/National Judicial Institute, NJI Workshop for Judges and Justices.
The workshop is themed: “Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Financial Crimes in a Digital Age.”
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu particularly commended the EFCC’s efforts in tackling cryptocurrency fraud and recovering virtual assets, noting that the Commission had demonstrated its determination to stay ahead of evolving criminal methods.
“The EFCC’s recent momentum in tackling cryptocurrency fraud and its commendable strides in recovering virtual assets is highly reassuring. These actions signal an agency that is proactive, forward-looking and resolved not to be outpaced by technological innovation,” he said.
In the first 34 months of the current administration of the EFCC, the Commission filed 14,476 cases in court and secured 10, 872 convictions, which represents 75.1 percent conviction-to-filing ratio.
The EFCC equally recorded 1,370 convictions from 1,889 filings in the first half of 2026.
In addition, the Commission recovered N1.233 trillion, $684,478,457.32, £373, 905.78, and €9,343,803.66 in monetary assets.
The President cited the successful prosecution and subsequent deportation of 192 foreigners arrested for cyberterrorism and cryptocurrency fraud as evidence of the Commission’s commitment to combating technology-driven crimes.
He noted that the increasing sophistication of financial crimes, driven by blockchain technology and artificial intelligence, require continuous capacity building for investigators, prosecutors and judicial officers.
“Because these modern threat typologies are constantly mutating, law enforcement and judicial authorities must engage in continuous capacity building to effectively adapt and respond to these evolving threats.
Adapting to the shifting dynamics of financial crime and realigning our investigative and prosecutorial strategies is critical to preventing institutional obsolescence,” he said.
President Tinubu also pledged the Federal Government’s support for judicial capacity development, stressing that an independent, progressive and reform-minded judiciary was indispensable to achieving meaningful progress in the anti-corruption campaign.
He, however, urged the judiciary to strengthen its capacity to adjudicate complex financial crime cases, assuring that his administration would continue to support the sector while respecting judicial independence.
He particularly expressed concern that major anti-corruption prosecutions lost on procedural technicalities could undermine public confidence in the justice system.
He urged the EFCC and the judiciary to continue to improve on prosecutorial discipline and close loopholes exploited by individuals seeking to frustrate trials.
He maintained that the fight against corruption should not be regarded as an Executive agenda alone, but as a collective responsibility of all arms of government.
Additionally, the President acknowledged that the EFCC’s asset recovery efforts had provided critical fiscal support for social intervention programmes, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND and the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation, CREDICORP.
In his welcome remarks, Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede said his administration has embarked on operational reforms that now enable the Commission to secure more recoveries and convictions.
He also stated that the EFCC is strengthening intelligence-led investigations, forensic capabilities, domestic and international cooperation, while deepening its understanding of emerging financial technologies.
“We do not seek simply to investigate more people; we seek to investigate more intelligently. We do not seek merely to prosecute more cases; we seek to prosecute cases that are properly investigated and capable of meeting the required standard of proof. Where assets are recovered, we seek to ensure that the recovery is lawful, transparent and sustainable,” he said.
The EFCC’s boss underscored institutional bottlenecks and procedural delays as some of the barriers to effective prosecution that paralyze complex financial crime proceedings, adding that frivolous adjournments and constant change of counsel stall the wheels of justice.
“When financial crime cases are allowed to drift indefinitely, the integrity of the process erodes.
Evidence deteriorates and loses its cogency. Witnesses disappear, relocate, or suffer memory lapses. Public confidence in the judicial system completely evaporates. Justice endlessly delayed is accountability decisively defeated,” he said.
Olukoyede told the gathering that “adjudicating corruption cases requires an elevated standard of integrity, judicial courage, and an unswerving commitment to the rule of law. We continue to hold in the highest esteem those jurists who have consistently held the candle of justice aloft in these challenging times.”
“We do not urge Your lordships to reinvent the wheel, nor do we suggest the manufacturing of evidence to secure convictions. We ask only for rigorous, expeditious adjudication.
“Before delivering judgment in any corruption matter, I urge you to resolve a few fundamental questions within your own conscience: Will this verdict encourage or deter financial crimes? How will this decision be measured by the verdict of judicial history decades from now? What colour will this judgment add to the enduring tapestry of your legacy?”
He said the goal of anti-corruption efforts was a more cohesive justice system where investigators know exactly what the courts require; prosecutors proactively anticipate evidentiary challenges; forensic specialists translate complex digital data into clear testimonies, and the judiciary understands the sophisticated methods used to perpetrate and conceal financial crime.
