The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, says its anti-corruption enforcement will extend deeper into Nigeria’s local governments as more public resources flow to the third tier of government.
EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at the maiden Annual National Conference of Local Government Council Chairmen and Traditional Rulers Councils.
Mr Olukoyede, represented by the Director of Public Affairs Department and Commander of the EFCC, CE Wilson Uwujaren, said accountability could not stop at the federal level.
He said the real test of increased funding to local governments would be whether the resources translated into improved living conditions for people at the grassroots.
“The EFCC is equally committed to transparency and accountability at the sub-national level and would want to see the improved resources flow to the third tier of government translate into improvement in the quality of lives of the grassroots population,” he said.
Mr Olukoyede said the Commission’s accountability drive was aligned with the Federal Government’s development agenda, stressing that recovered proceeds of crime should be channelled into projects and programmes that benefit Nigerians.
He cited the Federal Government’s approval of N50 billion each from recovered funds for the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, and the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP).
He also cited the conversion of the forfeited former NOK University in Kaduna State into the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia.
According to him, the institution had enrolled 1,909 students by December 2025.
The EFCC chairman also linked economic crimes to national security, saying issues such as terrorist financing, illegal mining, cross-border cybercrime, money laundering and virtual-asset fraud could no longer be treated in isolation.
He disclosed that the Commission’s specialised enforcement portfolio had recorded 920 cases and 212 convictions, with investigations and prosecutions still ongoing.
Mr Olukoyede further said nearly 60 per cent of the EFCC’s processes and operations had been digitalised.
He said the Commission was also investing in its Cybercrime Rapid Response Centre and other investigative technologies to protect Nigeria’s growing digital economy from fraud and abuse.
“We will investigate professionally, prosecute on the strength of evidence and respect the constitutional role of the courts in determining guilt or innocence.
“No title should place anyone outside the reach of the law, but neither should the fight against corruption be separated from due process,” he said.
Mr Olukoyede said the EFCC had recovered more than N1.233 trillion between October 2023 and the period covered by its recent stewardship account.
He said the recoveries also included $684.48 million, £373,905.78 and €9.34 million.
According to him, about two-thirds of the naira recovered had been returned to ministries, departments and agencies, state revenue services, companies and individuals.
He said federal and state tax recoveries alone accounted for about N288.1 billion.
The EFCC boss stressed that asset recovery should not end with the seizure of proceeds of crime, but should ultimately translate into productive use for the benefit of citizens.
“Recovery reaches its highest value when recovered assets are returned to citizens or converted into productive national use,” he said.
He disclosed that approximately N661.32 billion and $492.37 million had been released to beneficiaries during the period under review, including individuals, companies, government institutions and revenue authorities.
Mr Olukoyede also said the EFCC was strengthening its internal standards through measures including new arrest and bail guidelines and conflict-of-interest safeguards.
He said an institution demanding accountability from others must also hold itself to the same standards.
He urged local government chairmen to make accountability a practical principle rather than a slogan, particularly as councils receive increased resources.