The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has pledged the readiness of the nation’s judiciary to ensure swift and consistent adjudication of money laundering and terrorism financing cases.

Speaking at the 42nd edition of the Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime, held in Cambridge, United Kingdom, Justice Kekere-Ekun said the Nigerian judiciary understood that timely, predictable, and transparent judicial decisions were indispensable in meeting the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force, FATF.

Nigeria was placed on the FATF Grey List in February 2023, underscoring international concerns about the effectiveness of its Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing, AML/CFT regime.

While acknowledging the efforts of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima to secure Nigeria’s removal from the list, Justice Kekere-Ekun said that the listing served as a wake-up call, spurring unprecedented national reforms.

She said, “We remain firmly committed to ensuring Nigeria’s exit from the Grey List within the shortest possible time.”

According to her, the Nigerian judiciary remains committed to upholding the rule of law, enhancing judicial efficiency, and playing its role in combating economic crime.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria noted that no single country could adequately confront the challenges of cross-border economic crime alone.

“We must deepen collaboration across borders through effective mutual legal assistance frameworks, real-time intelligence sharing, judicial cooperation on transnational litigation and asset recovery, and dialogue such as those championed by the Cambridge Symposium, which foster enduring professional relationships and shared best practices,” she added.

She called on judges to continue to adapt doctrines, processes, and attitudes to match the pace of criminal innovation.

“Judicial conservatism must not be an excuse for inertia; rather, it must be guided by a deep commitment to justice, balance, and international cooperation,” she said.

She stated that collaboration with other jurisdictions was already yielding recognition, with FATF’s 2024 review acknowledging Nigeria’s progress in addressing many of the strategic deficiencies.

Justice Kekere-Ekun declared that the Nigerian judiciary had already undertaken significant improvements in infrastructure and expanded training for judges on economic and cybercrime matters.

She cited a recent Supreme Court decision in A.G. of the Federation v. Princewill Ugonna Anuebunwa, which she said reaffirmed the judiciary’s role in strengthening international cooperation.

Nigerian Judiciary committed to swift trial of financial crime cases – CJN Kekere-Ekun