Tuesday, September 1, 2026

EFCC recovers ₦1.2 trillion in corruption proceeds in Nigeria

Its recovery in naira hit an all-time high of ₦1,233,612,040,411.11. In dollars, it hit $684,478,457,32. In pound sterling, it was £373,905.78, and in euros, €9,343,803.66.

• September 1, 2026
Olukoyede with EFCC agents, stash of naira
Olukoyede with EFCC agents, stash of naira

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it has hit its highest-ever monetary asset recovery, totalling over N1 trillion, since chairman Ola Olukoyede assumed office on October 12, 2023.

The EFCC, in a statement on Monday, said Mr Olukoyede told journalists that 33 per cent of the recovered monetary assets were for the federal government, while the remaining 67 per cent were recovered for ministries, departments and agencies.

Its records showed that recovery in naira hit an all-time high of ₦1,233,612,040,411.11. In dollars, it hit $684,478,457,32. In pound sterling, the recovery hit £373,905.78 while it rose to €9,343,803.66 in euros.

Out of the naira recovery, approximately ₦397.26 billion, representing 33 per cent, were direct recoveries for the federal government, while ₦836.34 billion, representing 67 per cent, were recoveries made by the anti-graft agency on behalf of ministries, departments and agencies, state revenue services, companies, individuals and foreign victims.

According to Mr Olukoyede, the breakdown showed that two out of every ₦3 recovered were on behalf of beneficiaries other than the federal government. Mr Olukoyede also said the EFCC secured over 10,000 convictions, including 1,370 in the first half of 2026 alone.

The commission received 49,673 petitions, investigated 39,615 cases, filed 14,476 cases in court, and secured 10,872 convictions between October 2023 and July 2026, giving a conviction-to-filing ratio of 75.1 per cent, the statement said.  

In the first half of 2026 alone, the EFCC recorded 1,370 convictions from 1,889 filings.

The agency’s 2024 to 2026 year-to-date category data recorded 46,288 offences across nine major typologies. Advance fee fraud and cybercrime together represented nearly two-thirds of recorded offences. However, between 2024 and 2025, total recorded offences rose by 24.1 per cent, with notable increases in procurement fraud, bank fraud, cybercrime and economic-governance offences.

Across money laundering, unlicensed bureaux de change, illegal mining, virtual assets and terrorist financing, the EFCC recorded 920 cases, secured 212 convictions and maintained a substantial active pipeline of investigations and prosecutions. Money laundering and unlicensed bureau de change cases account for the largest share of this portfolio.

Mr Olukoyede also noted that during the period under review, ₦661.32 billion and US$492.37 million were released to beneficiaries, adding that the naira releases included about ₦325.35 billion paid directly to individuals and corporate bodies, while ₦335.97 billion was released to various ministries, departments and agencies, Nigerian Revenue Service and state internal revenue agencies, alongside releases to other public institutions, companies and individuals.

The EFCC boss also disclosed that federal and state tax recoveries amounted to approximately ₦288.1 billion over the period, including about ₦173.2 billion in federal tax recoveries and ₦114.9 billion attributed to state revenue agencies, representing fiscal value recovered through enforcement of existing obligations, not the imposition of new taxes.

In addition, the agency recorded approximately ₦257.2 billion in naira recoveries for federal ministries, departments and agencies.

The anti-graft agency, during the period, secured the forfeiture of 10,053 tangible assets under interim and final court orders between October 2023 and July 2026, which included 8,198 electronic items, 1,177 real-estate assets, 370 automobiles, 251 plots of land, as well as schools, factories, hotels, shops, oil rigs, barges, machinery and aircraft, adding that the forfeiture of 102 tonnes of solid minerals were also forfeited.

“Proceeds from disposal under final forfeiture orders amounted to approximately ₦12.07 billion and were paid to the federal government,” he said.

In the foreign-exchange market, Mr Olukoyede said enforcement against unlicensed bureaux de change reinforced the Central Bank of Nigeria’s regulatory reforms, noting that 234 BDC cases and 73 convictions were recorded in the last three years.

“The overarching objective is to support a more formal, transparent and compliant retail foreign-exchange market and close channels vulnerable to illicit finance, speculation and round tripping. This has improved macroeconomic stability with long-term benefits for the average citizen,” he said.

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