The Network of Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA) has re-elected the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, as its President for another three-year term.
The re-election took place on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, during the 7th Annual General Assembly (AGA) of the network held in Abuja, where representatives of ECOWAS member states unanimously renewed the mandate of Olukoyede and other Executive Committee members through consensus.
According to a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the decision was based on the exceptional leadership and performance demonstrated by the EFCC Chairman and his team in advancing the regional anti-corruption agenda.
The assembly also adopted the ECOWAS Guidelines on Borderless Investigations, Asset Tracing, Recovery, and Management, a major policy framework aimed at enhancing cross-border collaboration in the fight against financial and economic crimes.
Member states were urged to integrate the new guidelines into their national legal and operational frameworks to ensure harmonized implementation across the sub-region.
The communiqué reaffirmed NACIWA’s commitment to the 2001 ECOWAS Protocol on the Fight Against Corruption, the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC).
It also emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in asset recovery, mutual legal assistance, and information exchange among anti-corruption institutions, financial intelligence units, and law enforcement agencies.
Delegates noted that the 7th AGA coincided with the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS, describing the milestone as symbolic of renewed regional unity and collaboration in tackling corruption and related financial crimes.
Member institutions were encouraged to take steps toward domesticating and operationalizing the ECOWAS Protocol on anti-corruption within their respective national systems to strengthen alignment with regional commitments.
The assembly further called for enhanced collaboration with civil society organizations (CSOs), youth groups, and the media to foster advocacy, awareness, and public participation in the anti-corruption drive.
In its resolution, the AGA expressed deep appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his consistent support of anti-corruption initiatives and for officially declaring the Assembly open on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
While addressing delegates at the opening ceremony, President Tinubu called on ECOWAS to classify resource theft, particularly illegal mining and mineral smuggling, as international crimes threatening regional peace and economic stability.
“The time has come for ECOWAS to designate resource theft, illegal mining, and stealing of minerals as international crimes that threaten the stability of the region, and galvanize the world against trade in stolen minerals from West Africa,” Tinubu declared.
The AGA also approved the admission of new member institutions into NACIWA, including Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Bureau, while welcoming the participation of CPC Cabo Verde as a new member.
The meeting ended with a renewed pledge by all member states to strengthen cooperation, ensure transparency, and build sustainable mechanisms for asset recovery and financial accountability across West Africa.
