The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, has commended the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, for his leadership and efforts in strengthening the fight against economic and financial crimes.

She gave the commendation in Abuja on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, when she led a delegation of the Association on a courtesy visit to the EFCC’s Corporate Headquarters.

Badejo-Okusanya praised the Commission’s efforts in the investigation and prosecution of economic and financial crimes, as well as the recovery of proceeds of crime.

She said, “When we see things that are done and done properly, we appreciate them. We followed carefully what is being done at EFCC, especially the statistics in recoveries and convictions. We can see, feel, and hear the impact of his works.”

The NBA President also commended the EFCC and other stakeholders for Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force, FATF’s, grey list, saying the development had improved the country’s business environment.

According to her, the development would boost confidence in the country’s financial system and facilitate business transactions.

“For us as lawyers, we are grateful for the removal of the country from the FATF grey list. This brings out increased inflows. Our clients are able to do business. Cross-border transactions are now seamless and less expensive. We are grateful to the Commission and we hope for more of such positive impact. We believe the efforts of the Commission will not regress,” she said.

Badejo-Okusanya reiterated the NBA’s commitment to deepening its partnership with the EFCC in promoting a lawful and orderly society.

She stressed the importance of a strong legal system to economic development, noting that without a lawful society, “we cannot gain in terms of economic activities, have a strong society and a better quality of life.

“We are all part of the elimination of criminal activities and towards gaining a lawful and orderly society.”

She also called for closer collaboration between the Association and the EFCC, particularly in knowledge sharing and the provision of professional expertise.

She pledged the NBA’s expertise and services to the Commission, stressing the need for both institutions to work together to strengthen the rule of law and combat economic and financial crimes.

Responding, Olukoyede said the country’s removal from the FATF grey list was achieved through the collaboration of the EFCC and other sister agencies, while appreciating the NBA for its support.

He said, “Most of the works that led to Nigeria’s removal from the list were done by EFCC and in collaboration with all our sister agencies. Nigeria is now on a better footing in the world financial ecosystem. We appreciate the support of the NBA because without your support, it would have been very difficult for us to achieve such a feat.”

The EFCC Chairman also said the Commission conducts its investigations within the confines of the law, noting that it remains accountable to the public.

He said, “One promise I made to Nigerians is to use the instrumentality of this law to stipulate the economy and pledge to work within the confines of law. We are responsible to the public.”

He reiterated his commitment to preventive frameworks in tackling corruption, stressing that the EFCC will no longer wait until funds are stolen before taking action.

“We are committed to this and this is why a whole Department, Fraud Risk Assessment and Control, FRAC, was established,” he said.

Olukoyede further pledged to work with the NBA, particularly in sanitising the legal profession and strengthening collaboration between both institutions.

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN, has sought the support of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in promoting made-in-Nigeria products and expanding opportunities for young Nigerians through skills development and entrepreneurship.

The Chief Executive Officer, CEO/Director General of SMEDAN, Charles Odii, made the request in Abuja on Wednesday when he led a delegation of the Agency on a courtesy visit to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, at the Commission’s corporate headquarters.

Odii commended the EFCC Chairman for what he described as efforts that have contributed to rebuilding confidence in Nigeria, particularly internationally. “Executive Chairman, I want to thank you. I want to start with gratitude. I want to thank you for the work that you have done in the last 34 months. You have tried to change the face of Nigeria outside Nigeria. So, with that, I want to thank you, and thank you for instituting confidence and trust again in Nigeria,” he said.

The SMEDAN DG said the Agency was implementing initiatives designed to equip young Nigerians with practical skills and transform them into entrepreneurs.

He disclosed that SMEDAN had secured approval from the Ministry of Education to establish the Inspire, Create, Start, and Scale (ICSS) Institute, which offers National Diploma programmes to young people while integrating entrepreneurship into their training. The aim, he said, is to work with relevant stakeholders to make sure that solid entrepreneurs are produced for the Nigerian ecosystem.

“When we go into prisons, people that have six months to be released into society, we train them, and we give them skills. This project has been life-changing. We are at the point of sending the national MSME policy to Mr. President. That policy covers the ecosystem for five years.

“We have put in that policy that anyone who has gone to prison, who is apologetic, and lacks skills, small businesses in Nigeria should employ them. And so, in our policy, we’re putting in that if these people are wrong, apologetic, they’ve learned their skills, we should be able to rehabilitate them to society,” he said.

He also proposed collaboration between SMEDAN and the EFCC’s Cybersecurity Research and Training Centre, saying the Agency could provide relevant curriculum and technical expertise.

“I also know that you have started the Cybersecurity Research Center. We want to introduce this curriculum to you, so that our curriculum can be embedded into the research center,” he said.

Odii further sought collaboration on the rehabilitation of inmates and young people involved in cybercrime through skills acquisition and entrepreneurship programmes designed to support their reintegration into society.

Responding, Olukoyede welcomed the proposal and expressed the EFCC’s readiness to collaborate with SMEDAN on the promotion of Nigeria-made goods, youth empowerment, skills development and cybercrime prevention.

“I have been following your activities. And I’m very proud of you. You are one of the young men that we look up to,” he said.

The EFCC Chairman said the development of legitimate skills and economic opportunities for young people was important to tackling cybercrime.

“I’m interested in anything that will help to develop skills for young men. Because that is one of the challenges I have,” he said.

Olukoyede commended the initiative and urged Nigerians, including members of the EFCC community, to patronise locally produced goods.

“Congrats for pushing all these. So, those of you buying things in my office, henceforth, patronize this. We need to support them, you know. Support these young people. It is when these businesses grow that’s when we can grow our own nation, too. And develop our own, you know, system. As long as we can patronize what we do,” he said.

He also suggested that the government should make a national policy on Nigeria-made goods to encourage local production and grow the economy.

Olukoyede stressed the seriousness of cybercrime and its consequential effects on Nigeria’s economy and international reputation.

“The evil these guys are doing to the image of Nigeria, to our economy is unquantifiable. Some of these guys, at the press of a button, they can bring the entire financial ecosystem down,” he stated.

The EFCC Chairman disclosed that the Commission’s Cybersecurity Research and Training Centre was expected to train an average of 500 intakes at a time, adding that the government was supporting the project.

“That was what necessitated our, you know, putting in place the Cybersecurity Research and Training Center, which we’re expecting to train an average of 500, you know, intakes per time,” he said.

He invited SMEDAN to participate in the project from its conception to operationalisation.

“So, I want to bring you on board so that you can be part of that project from the conception to operationalization because the nature of your mandate requires that we bring you into it,” he said.

The EFCC Chairman also pledged support for SMEDAN’s ICSS initiative and other programmes aimed at developing young Nigerians.

“So, I’m with you. We’re going to support you. Your ICSS project, too. Let me know if there’s any area where we can support you,” he said.

A major highlight of the visit was the presentation of locally produced goods by the SMEDAN delegation. The items included hibiscus tea, coffee, wax candles, cassava biscuits and native fabric produced under the Agency’s Guidance, Resources, Opportunity, and Workforce (G-R-O-W) support initiative.

Olukoyede said the EFCC would work with relevant institutions to identify practical solutions to youth involvement in crime.

“So, let us look for practical solutions that will take these young people out of that menace. Let’s compare notes. Let’s put this together to help Mr. President to succeed in his venture,” he said.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has called on legal practitioners across the country to desist from the illegal and unethical practice of charging clients in foreign currencies.

The call was made on Friday, September 11, 2026, in Lagos by the Acting Zonal Director of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, Ikoyi, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE I Bawa Usman Kaltungo, when he received a delegation of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA’s Lagos Task Force on Illegal Practice of Law, led by its Head, Moshood Abiola, on a courtesy visit to his office.

Speaking during the interactive session, Kaltungo expressed concern over the activities of lawyers who engage in illegal and unethical practices, stressing that the Commission would not hesitate to prosecute anyone found culpable.

According to him, the Directorate is currently handling two cases involving lawyers who allegedly charged their clients in foreign currencies.

He said: “We are also worried about the activities of lawyers who are involved in illegal and unethical practices.

“We have two cases of lawyers who were found to have charged fees in dollars. This is unethical and illegal, as the Naira is the country’s legal tender.

“We usually don’t want to have issues with members of the NBA. However, some lawyers are pushing us. Any lawyer we find culpable of charging clients in foreign currencies will be prosecuted.”

The Acting Zonal Director also cautioned lawyers against invoking the name of the EFCC to impose excessive charges on clients.

He said although lawyers had the right to determine their professional fees, they should not misrepresent the Commission or falsely claim that the fees demanded from clients were required by the EFCC.

“Also, lawyers should stop name-dropping the EFCC to overcharge their clients.

“They have the right to charge their clients as much as they like, but they shouldn’t drag the EFCC into it. They should desist from all these unethical practices,” he said.

Earlier, Abiola commended the Commission for its recent prosecution and conviction of a fake lawyer, describing the process as “swift and reassuring.”

He said the NBA Task Force had several cases involving lawyers allegedly engaged in malpractice, hence the need for stronger collaboration with the EFCC to ensure that legal practitioners found culpable of criminal conduct were prosecuted.

He said: “We appreciate the EFCC for the recent prosecution of a fake lawyer. It was swift, and we are glad that the EFCC was able to get the court to convict him.

“However, recently, we have a case involving a lawyer who has been engaging in malpractice. We have several cases like that, and we would like to strengthen our collaboration with the EFCC so that these individuals can be prosecuted and made to face the law.”

Reacting to one of Abiola’s remarks, ACE I Orhieoghene Adewunmi of the Department of Legal and Prosecution, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, urged the NBA to ensure that appropriate publications were made concerning lawyers found culpable of unethical practices.

She said such publicity would help members of the public identify practitioners who had been sanctioned for professional misconduct and avoid engaging their services.

In the same vein, ACE II Henry Anasoh, also of the Department of Legal and Prosecution, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, raised concerns over practices by some legal practitioners who assist suspects in obstructing investigations or frustrating the administration of justice.

He said there had been instances of lawyers helping clients to forge documents for bail purposes, including cases where purported medical records were presented in support of bail applications.

Anasoh also expressed concern over cases in which lawyers approach courts to restrain the EFCC from investigating or prosecuting their clients, including through fundamental rights enforcement suits arising from invitations issued by the Commission.

He, therefore, urged the NBA to assist the EFCC in its efforts to rid the legal profession of “unscrupulous practitioners”, stressing that the conduct of a few lawyers should not undermine the integrity of the profession.