Nigeria participates in FATF/GIABA Joint Assessors Training

In a bold step toward continously protecting the integrity of the global financial system and ensuring world security, participants drawn from GIABA member states and other, FATF Styled Regional Bodies ( FSRB)  have successfully completed a Joint Assessors Training, a course which provides participants the opportunity to participate in the Mutual Evaluation (ME) of other countries in line with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Mutual Evaluation (ME) Process.

The training was conducted by the FATF in collaboration with the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, (GIZ), a German federal enterprise that provides international development cooperation services.

The training,  which held between 5th – 9th May, 2025 in Accra – Ghana, had 7 participants from Nigeria, four of whom are from the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).

Nigeria now has it list of trained Assessors increased to seven.

 The intensive training sessions was led by top-tier FATF and GIABA experts who provided participants with the required expertise to master the FATF methodology designed for assessing technical compliance with FATF standards (revised) and the effectiveness of countries AML/CFT/CPF systems.  

The training also equipped participants with skills on National Risk Assessment of countries and how the NRA is used in ME process, including mock Mutual Evaluation,and data-driven strategies to identify gaps in countries’ AML/CFT/CPF systems, Mutual Evaluation Reports  drafting, report presentation and defence during plenary.

Now equipped with advanced skills, these assessors are primed to conduct rigorous peer reviews, ensuring compliance with FATF’s revised standards and fostering global cooperation against emerging threats of ML/TF/PF. 

The participation of Nigeria in this training underscores its pivotal role in strengthening not only West Africa’s financial system but also contributing to the integrity of the global financial system.